Love Me Apocalyptic
by eternitysstories
Summary: AU of an AU: Elijah and Eternity had been lovers centuries ago. Betrayed, he leaves her. In the modern era, she returns with a purpose, intertwining their paths again. Now, he finds himself in a complicated relationship with his former lady - an apocalyptic love.
1. Chapter 1: In the Pouring Rain

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Elijah or any elements from the Vampire Diaries/the Originals. I do, however, own my OC Eternity and any elements from my up and coming novel. Please review! I'd appreciate it a lot! Thanks and happy reading!

**Author's Note**: This fic is a rewrite of the fic 'Love is Madness'. I made the decision to remove it from my roster of on going fics, as I felt it was subpar and that I could do better. So, here it is, the new version of that same story, for those whom have been following 'Love is Madness'. So, welcome to 'Love Me Apocalyptic'. Enjoy!

* * *

She haunted him - a woman from a distant era of his past.

She was everywhere he looked, especially in the past few days, with her brilliant shining grace drawing his attention to the illusion of her apparition. She wasn't there. Not really. She couldn't be - an impossibility.

Then one night, the flesh and blood version of her had come to him, while it rained harshly outside.

Elijah Mikealson had been taking a moment alone at Rousseau's, after some family drama that had taken it's emotional toll on him - the love triangle between Niklaus, Hayley, and himself. He had Hayley for himself, but had lost her to his brother Niklaus. Apparently, her feelings of cooperative co-parenting where Hope was concerned had developed into more - into a deep love neither of them could refuse or deny. Therefore he was drinking away his sorrows of lost love, when the shimmering flash of white had caught his eye.

He had been surprised to see her there, looking as lovely as always. She was dressed in a short mini sweater dress that clung to her curves perfectly. It was casual, but not overly so. Her ankle length white hair was partially tied back, while the remainder hung loosely around her, showing off the creamy expansion of her neck and displaying her silvery hoop earrings. She wore heels to accommodate her short height, making her shapely legs seem longer.

Her sapphire eyes were as piercing as Elijah remembered, in their ability to see through another, see everything there was to know about them. Her plush rose pink lips smirked at him, as if daring him to make a move toward her as she stood near the entryway.

Every man and woman in the bar stopped to stare at her in wonder and in lust. Even Elijah found himself affected, but that wasn't a surprise to him. He knew well the kind of effect she had on others, but none was he more aware of than the one she had upon him. He wanted her like no other and she had only just arrived - both at the bar and back into his life.

And she was back in his life. Why else would she be there than to be a part of his life in some fashion? If not for that reason, then she wouldn't have been there at all.

Wonderful, he thought with bitter amusement as he downed the bourbon Camille had given him.

Then she made a move toward him, when she saw that he wasn't about to come near her; though it wasn't because he didn't want to. He did. His body was drawn to hers automatically. In fact, it had taken everything not to reach for her as she neared him at the bar, where he sat perched upon a chair.

"Hello Elijah," she greeted him boldly with a mysterious and not entirely pleasant smile.

"Eternity," he replied curtly. "What do you want?"

Eternity's grin only widened, "Is that how you choose greet me, after not seeing me for a century and a half? Surely, you are not still cross with me, because of the past. I had thought you would have moved on after all this time."

Another drink was put in front of him by one of Camille's fellow bartenders to whom he nodded thanks to, before saying to the stunning woman beside him, "I have not forgiven you as of yet nor do I know if I ever will. You did betray me and mine when you nearly killed my brothers, of whom you had claimed to care for."

"Pity that you remain bitter," she shrugged. "Although, in all honesty, it is not you that I seek anyhow. I actually only came to ask you if you knew where I might find your wayward siblings. Well, in truth, only one. Niklaus? I have urgent business I must attend to concerning the hybrid. So if you'd be so kind as to point me in the right direction, I'll excuse myself and let you carry on drowning your sorrows."

The cryptic way Eternity spoke set Elijah on protective edge toward his brother. He couldn't trust her, not after what she had done in the past to jeopardize his family's continued existence. Anyone who dared to threaten his loved ones was an enemy and would remain so until they proved otherwise or were executed. The latter was impossible. Therefore, in Eternity's case, it was to be the former.

In calm, cool rage, he turned on her deftly, despite the fact that the drink was making him hazy.

He grabbed hold of her and sped away to the rooftop of a near by building, pushed her violently into the protruding wall of the roof exit and holding her there with his hand pressed against her collarbone. She didn't make a sound as he did this nor did she flinch. She only stared with the vaguest hint of amusement in her sapphire gaze as she waited for him to speak.

The cold heavy rain fell down upon them in big drops as they stared at each other. It soaked Elijah through his suit and dripped from his head, trailing down the exposed skin of his face and neck.

The water from the sky soaked through Eternity's dress, making it cling to her more provocatively and turning the fabric transparent. The sight of the water trailing almost teasingly down her neck and into her cleavage did nothing to quell his raging lust - his automatic reaction to this ethereal work of art he held in his grasp.

"I do not know what you want with Niklaus, but I do know you won't be going near him," Elijah growled venomously, as he resisted the urge to fist her hair, pull her nearer to him, and kiss her hungrily. "I'll descend upon you before you ever dare to get close. Nobody hurts my family and gets away with it. Nobody."

Eternity was unimpressed by his threat. In fact, she outright laughed, "Oh, I should laugh myself sick! What are you really going to do, Elijah? What can you? I am beyond you in every way. You are no match. Therefore, your threats and intimidations are meaningless. Though, if I could be permitted to explain, I would tell you -."

Angered further and weak willed, Elijah silenced her with a needy kiss, before he growled in a combination of anger and sexual frustration. "You mouthy little vixen," he muttered, his face near hers and his hand moved to wrap securely around her throat to hold her still.

She gazed at him, surprised and lustful.

The temptation was too great, he realized, and he wasn't in the right mind to care about his lack of self control. He wanted her. So, he would have her.

Elijah's mouth descended upon Eternity's with all the heated passion he had in him, and she accepted his kiss without resistance. Clinging to him, her hands fisted into the soaked fabric of his suit jacket sleeves as they kissed passionately in the monsoon around them. His tongue dove into her mouth to taste her, something he hadn't been able to do in over a century.

The memories of that joyous time in his life that he had thought had been buried came flooding back to him. He loved it. He hated it. He wanted to experience that happiness again. He wanted to bury it six feet under. Joy and nostalgia mixed when to war with his bitterness and anger, as he lifted Eternity up so that her legs were wrapped securely around his waist. His hand dipped between her legs to find her bare heat, dripping with her own desire for him.

Elijah groaned into her mouth at the feeling of his fingers sliding inside, her slick walls clinging to them as he began to thrust his two digits in and out of her depths. He remembered her body well and knew exactly how to touch Eternity in order to drive her mad with want. He kept his pace steady, rubbing his thumb over her clit as his fingers moved.

It wasn't long before she was writhing, her hips moving in time with his fingers, until she was nearly ready to fall over the edge, which he denied her by pulling his hand away. He smirked evilly at her groan of disappointment, then kissing her lips sweetly, as he quickly reached down to undo his pants one handedly - an easy task for one as experienced as he was.

Once he released himself, Elijah did not hesitate in slamming into her body without mercy. That first thrust erased Eternity's disappointment immediately, taking her by pleasant surprise. She clung to him even tighter as he began to move swiftly, setting a punishing pace as his mouth latched onto the column of her throat, suckling and bitting the flesh there. He reveled in the sensation of being joined with her. It was exquisite, it was divine. It fulled his warring emotions, driving him on.

"Elijah," Eternity was soon panting in his ear as one of her hands cupped the back of his head, while the other clutched his shoulder. "More! Please, more!"

Not one to disappoint, the Original did as the lady wished. His thrusts turned brutal as their passion climbed to new heights, until she was practically screaming into the rainy night air. The blinding need that had come over him was so great that Elijah knew he wouldn't last long. Not that it mattered. This was all lust, passion, and blind fury; a quick romp to quell the maddening want he still possessed for the woman he was riding unforgivingly.

Then the end came. Eternity's walls clamped down on him as her whole body seized, triggering his own release. Instinctively, his vampire visage came forth and his fangs sank into the pale woman's neck as he spilled into her, causing her to orgasm a second time. Her walls, which had slackened around him the quakes ceased from her first orgasm, gripped his still hard cock all over again as she once more shouted into the night. All the while, Eternity let him feed from him as she pleased, both knowing he couldn't kill her.

Her sweet, almost candy flavored blood filled his mouth and he savored it. He drank heartily, addicted to the taste and the increase in power and strength the magical crimson liquid affirmed him.

God, how he had missed it. Missed her...

With that last thought, Elijah was brought back to his senses and immediately he pulled away from Eternity completely, as if he had been burned. She had to act fast and catch herself before she fell to the ground, slumping awkwardly against the wall as she stared at him in confused wonder. He gazed back at her disturbed and appalled by how easily he had lost control over himself, how badly he wanted to give to old feelings.

Without a word, he straightened himself until there wasn't any indication that he had just had his way with the ethereal beauty before him. It was as if he was erasing their encounter, pretending it hadn't happened at all. Then with one final glance at Eternity, he sped away to somewhere safely away from her.

Little did Elijah understand then that there would never be a safe place for him to escape to. As he would soon find out, Eternity had returned for a purpose. So it would seemed that she wasn't going anywhere, anytime soon.

She was here to stay.

**To Be Continued...**


	2. Chapter 2: The Awkward Meeting

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Elijah or any elements from the Vampire Diaries/the Originals. I do, however, own my OC Eternity and any elements from my up and coming novel. Please review! I'd appreciate it a lot! Thanks and happy reading!

**Author's Note**: This chapter is based off of TO Season 2, Episode 17 as before. Most of this chapter remains unchanged from it's 'Love is Madness' incarnation, but there are some modifications that have been made to reflect the new version of this story.

* * *

There was an awkward tension in the air as the guests of Josephine LaRue stood around waiting for the elderly witch to make an appearance. Two of the women present, Hayley and Gia, and Elijah all looked at each other with an unbearable uncomfortableness that was evident upon each face. The third female, Eternity herself, looked on with subtle amusement at the situation. Nobody spoke, while the two vampires and the female hybrid only fidgeted and smiled politely whenever their eyes met another's.

Elijah had to wonder just how in the hell had he gotten here, standing in a room with not one ex, but two, and his current flame.

Hayley stood next to him with her arms folded across her chest and she danced on her feet slightly from the tension in the air. This was because they used to be lovers, but she had moved on with Niklaus ages ago for the sake of Hope, the very reason why he had been drunk that rainy night at Rousseau's he continued to attempt forgetting, something he had been doing ever since.

Yet, the relationship between Hayley and him hadn't been a clean break as there were still some left over feelings from their own love affair that made one on one interactions painfully awkward. Because of the remnant of mutual romantic feelings, Elijah had chosen to move out of the Mikaelson compound, as to not cause issues with the relationship between Niklaus and Hayley.

Then there was his current lover, Gia, a vampire like himself, of whom he also mentored as she was new to the vampire world. She was a sweet young woman, with whom he found great enjoyment with, despite the fact he knew for certain that their romance wasn't the type to last forever. It would one day fizzle and die one way or another, but for now, he was happy with his beautiful violinist, content to enjoy whatever time they had together.

Although if he were completely honest, Gia was simply a distraction. Someone to take his mind away from the shimmering otherworldly beauty that plagued his thoughts at every turn.

Speaking of which, his lover from the distant past, was one that he had thought he'd never see again, up until that faithful night in the rain not all that long ago. Eternity was was an ethereal beauty from beyond the stars, a powerful immortal unlike anyone he had ever met before or would ever again. She currently stood across from Gia, watching the others quietly with a small amused grin upon her lips.

He remembered those lips well. Her rose pink lips were plush and soft to the touch. Elijah could still feel them upon his own so profoundly that it was as if he was still kissing her.

Eternity was a pale goddess with long, flowing white hair that rippled like ocean waves all around her and sapphire eyes that held a wisdom that nobody on Earth possessed. The feeling of her silky tresses still lingered upon Elijah's fingertips. Her eyes remained ever haunting, especially if he dared to close his eyes.

Her face was childlike - youthful despite her three thousand years of life. She was small, smaller than both Hayley and Gia, but she was certainly stronger, more powerful than all of them put together - and then some. Her small, innocent form was just a front for the deadly otherworldly being she truly was.

Elijah had met Eternity a hundred and a half years ago by chance, after she had confronted him in the middle of a brutal feeding with her yumi bow pointed right at him. She had been ready to kill him to save the innocent person he feasted upon. However, for whatever reason, she had spared him in the end, having hesitated instead of immediately striking his down per protocol.

From there, they had a few more by chance meetings, filled with slight flirtatious banter, that soon became on purpose encounters that were also amorous in nature. Not long after that, they had become lovers.

When they had begun having sex back then, Elijah had discovered that her blood could sustain his vampire need to feed, sparing innocent lives in the process. He could feed upon her as he pleased without killing her, a fact that momentarily triggered his memories of that rainy night on that rooftop.

Shaking them off with an inward curse, he returned to the distant past, remembering that he had been grateful for this gift she had given him. He had found it a blessing as he detested the feeding on the innocent part of who he was as a vampire. Her blood sharing had also brought them even closer, because it displayed the amount of love and trust she had for him.

However, not all had been well in paradise. There had been a source of contention between them where Elijah's chaotic brothers, Niklaus and Kol, wee concerned. They continued to kill the innocent indiscriminately, despite the immortal queen's presence in their lives, and Eternity had shown patience when Elijah had promised her that he'd get them to stop. In turn, she had promised to stay her hand in killing them, should she have to take action, after he had pleaded with her to not to do so. Yet, chance after chance, attempt after attempt, his brothers refused to cease, having enjoyed the kill too much to give it up, even when faced with Eternity's wrath.

His brothers were brave souls indeed...or simply foolish and bloodthirsty monsters.

Eventually, Eternity had lost patience with his siblings and after a furious argument with Elijah, she went after his brothers with the intention of killing them, going against her promise to find another way. It was an utter act of betrayal to their love, this breaking of vows made.

The only reason why his brothers were still alive was because he had intervened on their behalf, using Eternity's love for him to his advantage. She couldn't kill him, she didn't have the strength for it, despite having threatened to do so if she must. In the end, Niklaus and Kol had managed to escape, and Elijah's love affair with the immortal beauty had immediately ended as a result.

Until that night he purposefully avoided remembering, Elijah hadn't expected to see her ever again, as she was the great Universal Queen from the cosmos and surely had responsibilities elsewhere, on some other world in the void of space. He had been certain that those duties would keep her away, giving him the freedom to move on with his life.

It seemed that had been too much of an assumption as she had appeared the next day, after their... encounter, at the compound with a premonition of a terrible evil coming, one that would seek Niklaus and Hayley's young daughter Hope. Apparently this was what she had been trying to tell him at the bar the night before, but he had ignored in favor of...other pursuits.

Despite the past, Eternity had been willing to help his brother, apparently seeing the change having his daughter in his life had caused. The chaotic beast had been tempered by his great love for his child and the child's mother. And so here they were together again, fighting on the same side - fighting for his family.

Yet, though he had agreed to work with Eternity to protect Hope, Elijah was still hurt from her betrayal unto him and his family, even though her betrayal had happened so long ago. It had gutted him how ready she had been to throw away their love, choosing her duty over her heart. He was angry, bitter, and mistrusting of the ethereal woman over the past, but it seemed his attraction to her was as profound as ever before, if that unmentionable night was any indication.

The Original found he was greatly conflicted when faced with Eternity's reentry into his life. He hated her, her loved her; he wanted nothing of her, he wanted everything; he wanted to resist her, he wanted to fuck her until she begged him to stop.

As a result of this conflict, Elijah was often hostile toward her in that quiet, cold, distant way of his. He avoided Eternity as often as he could, but whenever they were forced together as they were now, he was as distant and clinical as possible. She returned his crudity with her own, in the form of biting words and amusements in his failings of his misery.

To say that the tension between them was great was an understatement, made even more so in this current moment when faced with the two other women he cared greatly for. Not that he was admitting he still cared for Eternity. He stubbornly refused to give such a possibility a single consideration. He would not be so foolish as to give his heart back to her, a second time.

Turning his thoughts away from Eternity before they revealed to him things he didn't want to know, Elijah recalled the tension that was between him and Hayley caused by Gia's presence, due to those unresolved romantic feelings they had for each other, despite moving on to other people.

It was a bit irritating really as Hayley had married Niklaus, sworn her whole heart to him, yet continued to be a jealous ex while he still pined for the female hybrid, to some degree. Though he understood his feelings were simply part of the moving on process and soon, his feelings would dissolve into nothing more than familial love - or so he hoped.

In the meantime, it seemed that this day was to be a never ending circle of tense awkwardness due to his romantic relationships past and present.

Elijah caught Eternity grinning at him knowingly, as she was finding the awkwardness unsurprisingly amusing it would seem. He watched her with a great interest that he attempted to conceal beneath a mask of cool indifference, as she turned from him and floated across the room. She moved fluidly with her white floor length lacy gown trailing behind her regaling and her rippling white hair moving like ocean waves as she went to stand at the window. Despite his efforts to remain neutral, he found he couldn't take his wondering eyes off the ethereally shimmering woman, which earned him meaningful and jealous looks from both Hayley and Gia.

"...I'm going to go see if I can find Josephine," the latter woman finally said to excuse herself from the tense atmosphere she had found herself in - along with the rest of them, of course.

Once she was gone, Hayley cleared her throat and once more gave Elijah a meaningful look, this time in regards to Gia. "Well, now I see why you didn't answer my calls," she said as she moved to sit in one of the available chairs. "Did she have to come with us?"

Elijah sensed the jealousy in her voice, but tried to ignore it as he sat down next to her in the other available chair, and replied, "Josephine LaRue can be rather recalcitrant. She is, however, enamored with Gia's musical prowess and cavalier spirit."

"Huh. So, the baby vamp is now the Witch Whisperer?" The female hybrid said, to which he smiled and sighed slightly at her jealous tone. "I'm just so glad you found someone so...muti-talented to spend your time with."

He rolled his eyes and looked at Hayley, "What exactly do you want from me? You made your choice."

She looked away for a moment and was about to respond when Gia returned with Josephine in tow.

Immediately, the tension was broken with the old witch's presence, a great relief to all in the room.

Elijah was on his feet and moved to greet her, "Madame LaRue."

"Mr. Mikaelson," Josephine replied warmly.

He kissed her cheeks in greeting, before the elderly woman moved to settle down in her favorite armchair and asked him, "Have you come to impress me once more with young Gia's rare talents?" Then she noticed Hayley standing in the doorway with a scowl upon her lips and her arms folded tightly across her chest, "What, pray tell, does this one do?"

Elijah replied, "This one is family."

Hayley smiled tightly at the Madame in response to his words.

"But we have come to ask a favor," he finished.

"And what favor would that be, Mr. Mikaelson?" Madame LaRue asked.

It was here that Eternity, whom had stood completely silent at the window, turned gracefully to the others in the room and spoke in his place. "We have come for information, Madame," she said to the old witch gently. "I have sensed a great evil to descend upon this world, one that will seek the unique miracle child of the immortal hybrid and his mate. It could pose a terrible threat to not only the child, but this world. Mr. Mikealson suggested that I come and speak with you about it, as you are one of the wisest of your people, to shed some light on this earthly foe to come."

Madame LaRue did not immediately speak upon seeing the ethereal beauty as she came over to stand amongst them. The witch looked adorably awestruck by her, having not expected someone of Eternity's caliper to be in her home. Her pale blue eyes were wide and her wrinkled mouth was agape as she floundered before the queen.

Elijah caught Hayley's irritated huffing and rolling of her eyes beside him at the sight, while Gia simply smiled politely and gave no indication she was disturbed or annoyed by Eternity.

"It is you," murmured Madame LaRue eventually, barely audible. "You're -."

"I am," Eternity interjected with a small smile and a nod.

"How is this even possible?" Josephine whispered, looking from her to Elijah, to Hayley, and finally to Gia.

The immortal queen turned to flash Elijah a grin, before she turned back to the stunned witch and said, "Let's just say, someone knows people in high places."

The witch clambered out of her chair and moved to curtsy, a rather awkward sight as she couldn't really perform it completely due to her brittle old state; though she tried her hardest. "Your Majesty," she said as she bowed her head to her, while her whole body shook with effort.

It was immediate that Eternity was grabbing hold of Madame LaRue gently in her two hands, speaking softly to her, "Don't do that. It is unnecessary. Please, sit back down, my dear."

The ethereal woman aided the old witch in returning to her chair. Once Josephine was comfortable, the queen fluidly sat down before the other woman, with her legs tucked underneath her and her hands folded neatly in her lap.

Elijah exchanged glances with Hayley and Gia, each having curious expressions etched upon their faces at the queen's choice to sit on the floor, before they sat down in their own chairs.

"What is it that has brought you to my door, Your Majesty?" Madame LaRue asked Eternity quietly, still in a state of shock by her presence.

The queen smiled kindly, as she said, "I need you to tell me what you know of a creature that calls itself the Hollow."

**To Be Continued...**


	3. Chapter 3: In Grief

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Elijah or any elements from the Vampire Diaries/the Originals. I do, however, own my OC Eternity and any elements from my up and coming novel. Please review! I'd appreciate it a lot! Thanks and happy reading!

**Author's Note**: Some of this chapter is also the same as this story's previous incarnation 'Love is Madness', for those whom read the other version.

**Warning**: Smutty chapter is smutty! You have been warned!

* * *

Elijah sat alone at the piano of the Saint James Infirmary jazz club. The place was empty, just how he preferred it. He played a mournful, sad tune to reflect the emotions swirling inside him. He was completely drained after the chaos, turmoil, and dysfunction his family had endured at the hands of one Aunt Dahlia, a powerful and merciless witch that had sought to kidnap Hope.

His relationship with Niklaus had been fractured, after Elijah had daggered him in order to protect Hope, believing his little brother had gone mad in his quest to defeat their deranged aunt. Then in an act of revenge, the hybrid had taken innocent Gia's life.

He remembered their last encounter from earlier that day. She had come ready to fight, after she had heard about Josephine LaRue's death, a casualty of Dahlia's madness, but he had tried to get her to leave, fearing for her safety. Niklaus had been undaggered and he had wanted to protect her from suffering at his hand.

The last kiss they were to ever share was burned into his mind, as were his declaration of his affections for the beautiful violinist. He had let her go, let her leave the Mikaelson compound, like a fool. He had sent her right into his mad brother's clutches.

Gia's death still haunted him. Her burning body, her screams, her terrified face as she took off the daylight ring Niklaus had compelled her to remove, all of it flashing through his mind on repeat. He swore he would never forgive his brother for taking such an innocent life. Gia hadn't deserve death. She had deserved to live.

At least, Hayley had escaped unscathed, despite her trying to spirit away Hope from the madness that was the Mikaelson family without Niklaus's consent. She had been terrified of Dahlia and her plans for her daughter, as well as having begun to believe her husband had gone off the deep end with his secretive plans to counteract their foe, of which he had refused to share with anyone else because he refused to trust Freya. His paranoia had caused everyone to act accordingly, fearing the worst, trying to to the right thing.

Yet, despite her perceived transgression, Hayley had only been magically confined to the Mikealson compound or else she would turn into a werewolf should she attempt to leave. She hadn't been sent to the bayou to suffer as a wolf nor torn from her daughter in any way. Truthfully, her punishment was quite lenient, in spite of the rage Niklaus had gone into when he had realized she tried to flee to safety without his approval.

His brother must have really loved her to temper his madness for her - to show her mercy.

Suddenly, a hand touched his shoulder and he immediately tensed under it. He ceased playing, but didn't turn around. In fact, he remained perfectly still.

"Elijah," called Eternity softly, mournfully.

Elijah let out the breath that he had been holding. Anger immediately began to course through him. His hands balled into fists on the piano keys, as he tried to keep it under control.

Where had she been?

In their weeks past meeting with Madame LaRue, the old woman had told them about the Hollow, the spirit of an ancient witch, whom was the epitome of evil. The dark creature had worshipers, whom had done it's bidding since ancient times. These cultists were responsible for great travesties throughout history, such as wars, famines, and destruction all in the name of the Hollow. Furthermore, this evil entity was a master of possession, and it was concluded that the entity no doubt would want to possess Hope, whom was uniquely powerful because of her parentage. All this was according to the elderly witch.

Afterwards, Eternity had sworn to be there for Elijah's niece, swearing her aid to them against the threat the vengeful spirit posed. Then she had vanished soon after, going off to do heroic deeds elsewhere in the greater universe or at least that was his assumption. Either way, she had been gone for weeks, when she should have been there, protecting Hope. She could have easily defeated Dahlia without incident. Everything could have been avoided with her powerful talents.

If she had been, then Elijah's brotherly bond with Niklaus would still be intact. Gia, wonderful and talented Gia, would still be alive. None of the cursed Mikaelson dysfunction would have had to happen, if only Eternity had stayed to protected Hope as she promised she would.

Immediately he was off the piano bench and turned toward the ethereal woman, whom looked sympathetically at him. That look upon her sweet face only made his cool rage burn that much brighter. He grabbed hold of her neck and sped her into a nearby wall hard and unforgivingly.

Like that rainy night not that long ago, Eternity didn't flinch or make a sound. Instead, she simply stared at him neutrally, not even putting up a fight as he held her firmly in his grasp and gazed threateningly down at her.

Despite his anger and his grief, he could feel his body call for hers. Just being so near her had him wanting her. Mourning his loss be damned. The memories of that rainy night flashed through his mind, making the desire that much more intense. Yet, he refused to break, refused to be so weak willed...this time.

But the temptation remained ever strong, no matter how he fought it. It tugged at him like a magnet, pulling him in, regardless of how he refused it's influence.

"Where have you been?" Elijah quietly raged. "God damn you! Where _have_ you been?"

"Forgive me," she replied easily, seemingly unperturbed by his anger. "I was held up, but I am here now."

He released and pushed away from her. "Yes, you are. However, I beg to question where were you three weeks ago? Two weeks ago? Where were you when we needed you? How dare you show up now, in the ashes of the devastation your absence as brought upon my family!"

"Unfortunately, my world does not revolve around your family," she replied calmly. "I have other people who need me too. Besides, I am not the one at fault here. That honor belongs to Niklaus. It was by his hand that poor Gia needlessly died, why you were driven to move against him. If he had simply accepted Freya, instead of mistrusting her, then he'd have shared his plans with you and you would have worked together to stop Dahlia. Do not blame me, blame him."

Elijah's eyes narrowed on her, "How did you know?"

"Have you forgotten?" She responded. "I can see into your past. Although, in this case, it was Niklaus's past I peered into. I visited the compound first, before seeking you out. Again, I am sorry that I was not here to help."

He stared for a moment, before angrily turning away with one hand shoved into his pants pocket and the fingertips of the other rubbing over his lower lip in contemplation. She was right, of course. It was all Niklaus's fault, despite her capabilities to change the tides. It wasn't her whom killed Gia, whom imprisoned Hayley, whom behaved like a cruel bastard. Yet, he wouldn't dare admit it out loud. He was simply too stubborn.

"Elijah," called Eternity softly.

He was not in the mood to hear whatever else she had to say. Instead of turning back to face her, Elijah simply left the jazz club.

He returned home to his cold and empty loft, where he continued to live, because of fractured his family. He couldn't yet return to his family home. Immediately upon coming back to his dwellings, he poured himself a drink and went to stand at the window, trying to calm his nerves and cool his blood after his encounter with Eternity.

How she affected him so! It was frustratingly maddening!

So caught up in his stormy thoughts, the very ones he tried hard to not think about, Elijah didn't sense the ethereal beauty appear behind him. He was startled out of his thoughts by her gentle call of his name.

Though he hadn't expected her, he couldn't say that he was surprised that Eternity had followed him. If he were perfectly honest, part of him had a feeling that she might, especially with the insist way she had called his name before he had left, as if she had something to say to him.

Elijah didn't turn to look at her, unsure he was strong enough to stare into her sweet face without breaking. His strange desire for her was still too profoundly powerful at the moment. In fact, he didn't dare to even speak. Any words that he might have said died before they could leave his mouth anyway, leaving him to simply wait for her to say whatever she needed to.

"Forgive my intrusion," she told him softly, "but I need to speak with you."

Elijah remained silent and ever still.

Eternity sighed and pressed on, "I understand that you're still angry with me for the past, and that you struggle to trust me, but I am here with news - another prophecy of sorts."

That caught his attention and he turned toward her to ask, "Another?"

"Aye," she nodded. "I have had another premonition. Your family is to be threatened by another enemy, a precursor to the one of the Hollow. I am here to warn you of it, to aid your family in this warning. Old friends are coming to call, but be careful as none of them are truly friend, but foes in disguise. A prophecy of doom is to draw them out; a war, a struggle, all for the sake of self preservation."

Elijah didn't understand, "Elaborate."

"I cannot. In truth, I shouldn't have even said as much as I have, but I wanted to make up for my absence," she replied, almost timidly. "I cannot promise I will be here always for the trial ahead, but I will do my best to help you lot through this; though remember well that it is your fight, not mine, and my aid will be limited. I am not here for your family dramas. My true mission is to protect Hope and the world from the Hollow, nothing more, nothing less. So, please be on your guard in the days ahead."

Elijah stared at her. Part of him appreciated that Eternity was willing to come warn him of things to come for his family, especially knowing well that she didn't have to. She could have let him and his flounder in their own trials, but here she was offering her help to them, despite knowing how villainous Niklaus could be, despite how angry he himself was toward her. Surely, she could have rid the world of the notorious hybrid and his family, whom had left nothing but bloodshed and destruction in their wake, by letting whatever was coming come. Yet, she was not. She was helping them instead.

Even so, another part of him was still hung up on the past, on her betrayal. She had aided them in the past too, but betrayed them in the end anyway. Eternity had claimed to care then as well. She had said she loved them - loved _him_.

The anger that had been calmed by her promise to help came back full force. Elijah couldn't let her fool him into believing in her, into forgiving her.

Licking his lower lip, he schooled his face into an emotionless mask as he curtly said, "Thank you for your kind gesture, it is appreciated, but I think you should leave."

Elijah watched as her face fell at his cool dismissal of her. He tried to not let it affect him, as he moved from the window and went around her toward the front door. He made it halfway there, when her next words stopped him dead in his tracks.

"Elijah," she said barely above a whisper. "Must you continue to hate me so for what happened so long ago? Regardless of what happened, I am not your enemy. Can you not see that?"

That caused him turned back and with a few long strides, he had Eternity wrapped in his embrace harshly with his mouth latched onto hers in anger fueled passion. He roughly pulled her bodily against him as he plundered her mouth with his tongue, tasting her sweetness, remembering it well.

"Anyone who hurts my family, past or present, is my enemy," he pulled back and growled at her viciously, before his mouth reattached itself to hers in heated passion.

Despite his punishing grasp of her, Eternity reciprocated eagerly, running her hands through his short brown locks as he kissed her breathlessly. They moved downward over his neck, gripping him firmly there.

Without words, Elijah lifted Eternity up so that her legs wrapped securely around his waist. He sped into a nearby support column, slamming the pale beauty into it. His tongue continued to dance in her mouth greedily and with his body holding her up, his hands freely ran over her silk clad form and onto the smoothness of her legs that were curled around him.

"God, I despise you," he growled venomously against her lips, before pulling back again to look at her sweet face that gazed at him neutrally, in spite of his cruel declaration.

"If you must," Eternity groaned in response, her sapphire eyes flashing with a mix of sadness and her own desire for him.

A brief pause of stillness fell between them as they gazed at each other lustfully and then his mouth was upon hers again, devouring her hungrily. All the while her hands began to claw at his clothing, practically tearing his tie from around his neck and then urgently pulling his suit jacket from his shoulders. He aided her in removing it completely by swiftly shrugging out of it, while her hands tore open his shirt. Buttons flew everywhere, but neither of them cared.

Eternity ran her hands over the exposed skin of his chest, before pushing the ruined material off his shoulders, much like she had done with his jacket. He aided her with that too, practically tearing the fabric from his body, as he then moved to lay open mouthed kisses to her jaw and then her neck, nipping and suckling at the flesh as he went. She gasped and writhed in response, her hips rocking against him needfully.

"Please...Elijah," she moaned as he licked along her neck upward, before capturing and suckling on her earlobe. "Please!"

Moments later, he released the lobe and pulled back to gaze at her. He smirked at how needy she seemed. Eternity's eyes were ablaze, her chest heaved, her nails clawed at his shoulders and neck, all in want of him. She look d absolutely feral and it was enough to fill him with male pride, knowing it was he who made her this way.

Unable to resist driving her even more mad, Elijah let one hand slip between their bodies to touch her intimately between her legs. He groaned at the warm wetness that had collected there, stroking over her clit and then dipping a pair of his fingers inside her, thrusting them in and out repeatedly. He watched Eternity's wild reaction as he alternated between stroking her clit and thrusting inside her, until the ethereal beauty was bucking wildly against him, breathlessly pleading with him to finish her.

Once he felt her walls begin to flutter around his digits did he cease and cruelly pulled away completely. He enjoyed the way she groaned in frustrated disappointment and the way the fire in her eyes increased tenfold as they locked onto his. He enjoyed the blaze of her passion very much. Then to further it, he took the fingers that had been playing between her thighs and sucked them into his own mouth to taste her sweetness, licking them clean with his eyes upon her the whole time.

"Hmm, you taste divine," he murmured, once he had successfully cleaned them of her juices.

Eternity moaned at his seduction, before she grabbed the sides of his head and pulled him to her, kissing him for all he was worth. Her tongue pried open his mouth and dove inside to taste him for a change. She moaned again at the flavor she found there, no doubt tasting herself upon his tongue as she sampled him.

While she kissed him urgently, his hands ran over her still clothed body, growling at the hindrance that kept him from her bare flesh. Immediately, to remedy the problem, Elijah took the flimsy fabric into his hands and tore the blue maxi dress she wore cleanly in two. Tossing the scraps aside, he let his hands wander her now bare form, touching everywhere he could, including her soft breasts, while he kept her pinned to column.

Before long, the need became too much for the both of them. With vampire speed, he moved them to the large bed, where he tossed Eternity carelessly upon it. Using that same superior speed, the rest of his clothes were done away with him moving like a predator ready to devour his prey as he crawled over her fully bare. He took a moment to brush back her hair from her face, before kissing her lips punishingly.

Elijah let his mouth wander from her lips, down her throat, over her breasts, and then down her stomach, listening to her pants and rapid heart beats all the while. He paused just at her mound, grinning at her wickedly, before ascending back up her body until he could reach her mouth.

Eternity groaned in disappointment.

He only grinned and chuckled cruelly at her.

The ethereal woman growled in response, before pulling Elijah closer with her legs winding around his hips tightly. She kissed him brutally, as she nudged him even closer. "Inside me," she quietly hissed in command, reaching between them to stroke his hardened length seductively.

He needed no further encouragement. He swiftly pulled her hand from his cock, pinning it to the bed. Letting his mouth descend upon hers again, he kissed her lips passionately and then trailing them down her jaw to her neck. All the while, he moved into position, rubbing his cock over her slick heat teasingly, before he finally joined their bodies with one hard thrust.

Eternity gasped at the intrusion which turned into a loud moan. To keep herself grounded she let her hands rake through his hair and then down his back as he wasted not a single moment in bringing them both exquisite pleasure. His thrusts were not soft and gentle. No, they were instead hard and fast, full of animalistic need, as he rocked into her willing body harshly.

He didn't want to think or feel anything but her body wrapped so perfect around him. He wanted to be lost to the carnal passion, to the angry punishment he brought down upon her body.

Elijah buried his face in her neck as he slammed into her over and over again. The hand that had pinned hers to the bed laced their fingers together as he held on. The feeling of her wet heat was as wonderful as he remembered.

Then there was the burning sensation of her nails on the hand left free to wander as they scratched down his back, the wounds she inflicted healing immediately. The pain and the pleasure drove him on, rocking into her even harder than before until they were both thoroughly drunk on the incredible high.

It wasn't long before Eternity was chanting his name over and over again, becoming louder and louder the higher she climbed. She began to pant with exertion as she moved with him, holding him even tighter to her as she came closer and closer to falling over the edge. Her nailed continued to rake his back mercilessly all the while, causing him to hiss in pained pleasure.

Feeling the end nearing for himself, he started to move at an even faster pace. He didn't care about how rough he was being. He simply carried on, slamming into her over and over again at an unforgiving pace. Elijah was blind to everything except the rising pleasure, the coming end.

The vicious way he took her must have acted like a trigger because moments later he felt her walls contract around him, squeezing him for all he was worth as she screamed in ecstasy as her orgasm took hold. Her end triggered his and his trust became erratic until he finally spilled into her with a muffled shout.

Elijah stilled and slumped onto Eternity's body, unable to keep himself up. She took his weight without a protest, holding him closer with one hand stroking his hair. The chaotic atmosphere of animalistic eroticism gave way to one that was relaxing and peaceful in the afterglow. Her actions were full of love and caring, reminding him of all the other times she had done the same - from that bygone era.

It stirred things in him that he didn't want to remember, that he didn't want to know or acknowledge.

He lifted himself up just enough to gaze down into her sweet face while Eternity stared back almost lovingly, but not quite. Surprising even himself, he brushed back her hair again and laid a chaste kiss to her lips as he did, before pulling back as if he had been burned when he realized what he had just done. He buried his face in her neck to hide from her wondering expression.

They didn't speak in the aftermath, only rested in slightly awkward silence.

Elijah couldn't believe what had just happened. He had lost control over himself yet again, unable to resist the temptation that was Eternity. He tried to chalk it up to an act of weakness due to his grief and loss and stress from all the turmoil of the past few weeks. Yet, he knew he was lying to himself. That it wasn't any of those things that drew him in, that made him weak for the ethereal woman.

It was something else, something that he knew well - that had never gone away with time - but that he refused to acknowledge.

They remained still until Elijah was ready to have the pale beauty all over again. Even though he claimed to hate her, this time, he took her slowly, with tenderness, almost lovingly.

As he moved unhurriedly, he whispered in Eternity's ear, "I swear to god, I hate you. So very, very much."

"Perhaps," she whispered back, "but perhaps not."

Elijah felt his heart skip at her vaguely knowing words, but still stubbornly refused to give the feelings and thoughts her words invoked the time of day.

No, he simply rejected them.

**To Be Continued...**


	4. Chapter 4: The Work Out

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Elijah or any elements from the Vampire Diaries/the Originals. I do, however, own my OC Eternity and any elements from my up and coming novel. Please review! I'd appreciate it a lot! Thanks and happy reading!

**Author's Note**: Readers of 'Brothers', I have made the decision to take it down, as it is dead in the water for me as the author and I do not believe in leaving up fics I do not intend on finishing. However, like with 'Love is Madness' which became this fic, I will probably rework it into something else, something hopefully better. I apologize to everyone who liked it, but stay tuned because something else will be coming.

**Warning**: Smutty chapter is smutty! You have been warned!

* * *

When Elijah awoke the next day, he found himself alone.

Eternity had gone.

It was for the best, he told himself, ignoring the nagging sense of disappointment and sadness that tried to well up inside him at her absence from his bed. He snorted at his pathetic and rather frustrating behavior. In fact, he was completely repulsed by his weak will. That he would give into his desire so easily, especially considering he despised Eternity for what she did, was abhorrent, to say the least.

Or...so he tried to convince himself.

Irked, Elijah quickly removed himself from the bed and went for the shower. He needed to rid himself of her sweet scent that coated his skin. He didn't want the reminder of what had transpired the night before.

Yet, as he scrubbed his body clean, the memories came flooding back, swirling though his head, making him vividly remember it all. He could feel her lips on his skin, her hands as they trailed over him, the sting of her nails as she violently clawed his back, the wonderful sensation of her wet warmth wrapped around his cock. Her moans, her screams, her chants of his name all echoed in his ears. It was all there, haunting him.

He didn't want it! He didn't want her! Yet...

In an act of frustration, Elijah reached impulsively and punched the ceramic tiled wall of the shower stall, cracking it under the force he used. Realizing he had lost control, he reigned himself in quickly, appalled by how easily he had slipped up, acted so much like...Niklaus.

Having decided that he needed something to clear his head, to distract him, he made the choice to go to Marcel's gym to work his frustrations out of his system with a little...exercise. Getting out of the shower and drying off quickly, he dressed in a pair of sweatpants and tank top with a pair of fingerless gloves. Then he head out at vampire speed.

Arriving at the gym Marcel had set up, he found the younger vampire himself there doing some training with a few of his followers. He was already in the ring, sparring with one of them, when Elijah came strolling in. Upon seeing him enter ready to spar, the former King of New Orleans smiled curiously at him through the wire fence.

"Well, well, look who it is?" Marcel greeted him, as Elijah opened the door to the ring and entered. "Come to show these newbies what's up, Elijah?"

"Something like that," he replied with a slight grin as he stood right inside as the door shut behind him. "Care to dance, Marcellus?"

The other man chuckled, "Sure."

Then the underling was dismissed from the ring. The new vampire looked ready to bolt at the sight of an Original and had no qualms in vacating the arena. In fact, he didn't even bother looking at Elijah as he moved past him and exited.

Elijah gazed at the young man with smug amusement, before turning back to Marcel. "Whenever you're ready," he nodded curtly.

Immediately, the two engaged each other. Marcel lunged at him, executing a series of punches that were tight and quick, but not enough to hit him with. He managed to block all of his strikes and returned with a series of his own. To his mild surprise, the younger man managed to block his as well, except for the last one that landed across his jaw and knocked him back into the fence.

"Damn, Elijah," Marcel quipped, holding his jaw. "That was harsh! Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

"Perhaps," shrugged Elijah, gesturing for the other man engage him. "Come."

For a good hour, they sparred, exchanging blows on nearly equal footing; though that might have been because the Original was holding back. Regardless, this exercise had been exactly what he needed. He felt more relaxed, more himself again. For the moment, he didn't see her face, didn't feel the ghost of her touch - didn't feel anything, other than the exchange of punches with Marcel.

However, his moment of peace was suddenly sabotaged.

While engaging the younger vampire, Elijah saw the flash of white out of the corner of his eye and was immediately distracted by it. He had been doing well in keeping his opponent on his toes, but in that moment, Marcel managed to land a particularly hard blow, sending the Original spinning into the fence.

There was a collective cringing response from the vampires whom had been watching their fight, but also from the new arrival - the bane of Elijah's existence.

As he took a moment to recover, he heard the door to the ring squeak open, then close again, and knew she had entered. He turned sharping to see her standing there with a hand on her leather clad hip and an amused smirk upon her pink lips as she gazed at him directly. The fury that oozed off him didn't seem to bother her, which angered him more.

"E?" Called Marcel upon seeing Eternity.

The ethereal woman turned and smiled warmly at the younger vampire, "Hello, old friend."

The other man laughed joyously and rushed to embrace the tiny woman, enveloping her in his embrace, while Elijah watched on in hostility. After a moment, Marcel pulled away and held her at arm's length as he said, "I can't believe it! It's been so long! How've you been?"

"I've been well," replied Eternity. "In fact -."

"Forgive my rudeness, but leave us, Marcellus," Elijah called out authoritatively, causing both of them to turn and look at him; Marcel annoyed by his barking order and Eternity amused by it.

Yet, the younger man didn't argue or protest. He simply dismissed his people and then excused himself with one last glaring look toward the Original.

Once the others were gone from the old church, Elijah moved with vampire speed and went to grab Eternity in order to slam her into the fence, to demand why she had come. However, she wasn't in the mood to be bullied it seemed and she anticipated his movements flawlessly, grabbing one reaching arm with an even greater speed and then roundhouse kicking him in the gut, sending him flying backwards. He skidded to a halt on bare feet, the pain of it nonexistent as he stared in momentary surprise by her.

Eternity only grinned with her arms folded across her silk covered chest.

Elijah returned her grin with an unamused one of his own. "What the hell are you doing here, Eternity?" He quietly demanded as he took on a defensive stance, feeling like a tiger ready to strike.

"I came with news, but in truth, this seems more interesting," she replied cryptically. "Shall we?"

With the challenge set and without another word, she attacked. With a speed to match his own, she moved with a fury of punches and kicks, engaging him. He managed to keep up, blocking her blows well enough and hitting back with an equally powerful counter strike that kept her on her toes. They danced like this, on equal footing for a long while, neither of them letting up, neither of them slowing down. They were in perfect harmony - and that pissed him off even more.

Their perfection together, there in the ring, called his body to hers. The beauty of it made him want her. As always, he tried to resist it, the intense desire that consistently plagued him, whenever she was around. But as every time before, he felt his control slipping, sending him into a blind fury.

Elijah moved faster, struck harder, until he managed to get the better of Eternity. He landed a blow across her jaw in a misstep on her part and it sent her back into the fence. Not wasting the opportunity, he was on her before she could fully recover and pinned her to the wire fence with her hands trapped above her head in one of his larger ones.

Inches from her face, he had to muster all his strength to not kiss her devouringly and instead growled threateningly down at her, "Tell me what you know."

Elijah could see the lust that swirled in her sapphire eyes and it did nothing to help his determination to resist her. She gazed with her mouth agape. Then, she licked her lower lip as she seductively stared up at him beneath her lashes.

"Those old friends I spoke of before are in town," Eternity breathed, speaking quietly. "In fact, the first shall be visiting your Marcellus soon. The new threat is upon you and yours, Elijah. Be cautious moving forward, but know that I will be here this time to aid you all in what is to come. If only to make up for my past failings."

"You speak in riddles, woman," he hissed at her. "Speak plainly. Tell me what is coming."

Eternity laughed lightly and smirked, "I cannot. I probably have spoken too much as it is. Besides, even if I did explain more plainly, where would the fun in that be, hmm?"

Angry and frustrated in his struggle to remain strong against her, as well as in her refusal to give him the answers that he sought, Elijah pushed away from her with a snarl. He turned away with his hands on his hips as he tried to calm himself.

"You know for what it's worth, I am sorry about what happened and I am not referring to this era," she called to him. "Though I am sorry for what happened with Gia too. I apologize for my betrayal. I never wanted to hurt you, Elijah. I loved you. Despite your supposed hate of me now, I still do. I never stopped. When I discovered the threat of the Hollow, I knew I had found a way to make up for it. So I came. I am here."

Her words stirred up old emotions, ones he tried to keep buried, ones he didn't want to recognize. Instead, he held on to his anger, his hate of her, as he turned back quickly and in a few short strides, was before her again with his hand around her throat firmly.

He stared down at her venomously and calmly raged, "You dare to speak of love to me! You betrayed everything resembling love between us, when you decided to act against my family, after I pleaded with you not to! With that one act, you destroyed everything - our happiness, our future. You broke my heart, gutted me completely. There is nothing but bitterness here now. Do you understand? I. Hate. You."

"Keep telling yourself that, Elijah," responded Eternity softly, unperturbed. "You and I both now you're lying, mostly to yourself. Anyone who hold another so close, so secure, the way you did with me last night, is simply not hate. Far from it, but please, oh please, keep on 'hating' me. I find it rather...thrilling." She laughed then, to provoke him.

He knew that. Yet, he couldn't help but play right into her hands.

In blazing fury, Elijah lifted the ethereal woman off of her feet as if she weighed nothing and threw her across the ring effortlessly. He watched as she acted quickly and caught herself, skidding to a stop on the mat. She stared at him with an amused fury of her own, a grin upon her lips as she gazed up at him from her crouched position.

"Haven't had enough?" She said as she slowly rose to her full height. "So be it."

Once more they engaged each other again, exchanging blows with precision, trying to strike the other down, to gain the upper hand. Eternity remained as amused as she had been since arriving, while he remained ever furious.

Then in a miscalculation of his own, Elijah found himself the one being pressed into the fence with the ethereal beauty holding him there firmly with an arm across his chest. She stared at him with wildly lusty eyes and he did the same to her.

Nobody moved, nobody spoke. The only sound was the pants of exertion that echoed through the silence.

The dam effortlessly broke within Elijah and his mouth crashed down upon Eternity in a fury of a different kind. His tongue pried open hers forcefully and dove inside, tasting her roughly. The second that she released him from her hold did he have her thrown down onto the mat with him hovering over her. He grabbed her jaw tightly in one hand and his mouth reattached to hers in fiery passion as soon as he was within reach.

His hands wasted no time in tearing Eternity's clothes from her body. The flimsy silk of her shirt went first, exposing her soft breasts to him. He took a moment to kneed one in his palm, as his mouth moved lower to her jaw and then her neck where he harshly bit along the column without care, wanting to give her a little pain.

Eternity gasped his name in pained pleasure, enjoying the rough treatment, and it only drove him on in his madness. His hands swiftly moved down her body to grip the sides of the thick leather leggings she wore and tore them from her form as well. The sound of it was loud and echoing.

Once they were deposed of, Elijah moved into place between her thighs, the scent of her arousal strong and intoxicating, calling to him. He reached down to touch her intimately, rubbing over her clit and then dipping two digits into her entrance, feeling the slick heat that was all for him - because of him.

He groaned at the feel of it, his eyes closing as he imagined her wrapped around his cock instead of his fingers. The need for that to come to pass was great in his angry passion; blind and animalistic in nature.

Therefore, Elijah didn't waste time in reaching down to push his sweats and boxers down one handedly to expose his cock. For a brief second, he paused to gaze into Eternity's flushed face, seeing the intense passion he felt reflected back at him. With a vicious growl, he withdrew his fingers from her depths and flipped her over onto her stomach, lifting her hips until she was on her knees with her backside in the air.

Without further ado, he lined up with her entrance and thrusted into her violently. He gasped and she moaned loudly, in unison, at their union. With another growl, he moved without mercy, taking her as roughly as his superior strength as a vampire would allow. She was receptive, begging him for more, just as her hand reached back to claw at his hand on her hip. The searing pain of her nails digging in his skin drove him onward, taking her at a pace that would have killed a human, perhaps even a vampire.

It was rough and unforgivingly, animalistic and cruel. Yet, neither stopped. Neither of them wanted to.

The end came quickly. Neither of them cared about that either. Both screamed with abandon as their orgasms took them - fast and hard...euphorically blinding.

The second Elijah emptied himself and slumped against Eternity's back did he realize what had just transpired. A roar escaped him before he could contain it and his fist collided with the mat right by her head. Yet, she did not flinch or move in any way. In fact, she remained perfectly still in that otherworldly way of hers.

"Why?" He growled quietly, just before he grabbed hold of her hair, twisting it painfully around his hand and pulled back on Eternity's head violently. "What kind of sorcery is this?" He hissed into her ear. "What spell have you cast upon me? Why? Why can I not resist you? Tell me! Why?"

Eternity was as calm as ever. His rage did nothing to make her fear him nor did she wince at the pain he inflicted upon her. "No spell, no sorcery, no magic," she replied softly. "It is not my doing, this addiction of yours, this weakness for me. I am not to blame for this. Perhaps instead of pointing fingers at others, Elijah, you should be examining yourself, eh? The answer is inside you."

He refused to listen to her nonsense, chose to be stubborn like his brother Niklaus.

"But enough of this, you should hurry," the ethereal woman, of whom he was still buried in, said. "Your friends are making their move. You should get going, if you are to discover the truth of this new threat unto you and yours. First, go visit your brother. He will have news in regards to this. Then you shall need to go to young Marcel's loft. You'll find more answers there."

Elijah held onto her a moment more, before he heeded her words and sped away, but not before putting himself back together again of course. He stopped by his own loft to change into his typical suit and then sped away to the Mikaelson compound first.

As she had said, he found his answer there or at least the first puzzle piece of it.

Just what kind of trouble were they in now?

**To Be Continued...**


	5. Chapter 5: The Meeting of the Strix

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Elijah or any elements from the Vampire Diaries/the Originals. I do, however, own my OC Eternity and any elements from my up and coming novel. Please review! I'd appreciate it a lot! Thanks and happy reading!

**Author's Note**: This chapter is an AU of TO Season 3, Episode 3.

* * *

Elijah paced back and forth in front of the fireplace as Niklaus spoke of one newcomer in town from the past, Lucien. He was listening, of course, but only partially. His mind was clogged with his thoughts of Eternity. He was disturbed, captivated, salacious, and violently bitter all at once where she was concerned. He had no control over the rage or the lust he felt toward the ethereal woman. It frightened as much as it thrilled him.

His hand shook at his side as his mind wandered back to the events at the gym, forcing him to shove it into his pants pocket, mirroring the other one. He d don't need questions asked about his odd behavior. Just what was wrong with him anyway? How could that woman have him so undone in ways that no other ever had him? What madness was this...addiction?

The older Original distracted himself then with his brother's continuing conversation, as to not drive himself to insanity.

"And, given the circumstance, Lucien qualifies as both friend and foe, and according to Freya's prophecy-," Niklaus was saying.

"-You are to beware both friend and foe. But, let us not forget family, Niklaus," Elijah cut him off, jumping into the conversation as if he hadn't been distracted at all.

"Lucien's two out of three - I say we put him down. Just like old times," his little brother replied.

Freya, their long lost sister, had predicted a terrible threat similar to that of which Eternity had already personally warned him about. Their big sister had foreseen the destruction of Niklaus, Rebekah, and himself, as well as their entire sirelines involving a mysterious weapon and something known simply as "the Beast".

"You two have a terrible shadow over you," their dear sister had said to them. "Rebekah, too. If this prophecy is fulfilled, you will all fall. One by friend, one by foe, and one by family."

After that, everyone remained guarded, ready for whatever was to come. Now, one possible enemy was here, in the form of Lucien, though Eternity had spoken of others. She had said he had to go to Marcel's to find them.

"You can deal with Lucien, but do not kill him," instructed Elijah, taking charge. "There are questions that need answering. Specifically, we need to find out why he is here?"

Niklaus smirked at his choice of words, "We? Have you finally forgiven me?"

Forgive? No, he was still angry toward him. He had not forgiven the hybrid for killing his paramour or for virtually imprisoning Hayley within the compound; though he was still impressed with Niklaus's leniency toward the female hybrid. He could have done a lot worse to her for taking Hope away. Even so, he had not yet forgiven him any of it.

Instead, he gave his little brother a false smile, "I will consider it...when Hayley forgives you for locking her away here at the compound, when Gia rises from the dead, and when hell freezes over. For now, however, we have our mission. Let us focus on that, yes?"

With that, before Niklaus could respond in any way, Elijah left the room, heading to where Eternity had told him to go to next.

When he arrived at Marcel's loft apartment, it was to quite the sight. The younger vampire's brood of followers were sprawled out all over the floor unconscious. It didn't seem as though any of them were dead, only had their necks snapped by whomever had assaulted them. Marcel himself was nowhere to be found, but Josh his right hand man was and he started to come to.

Coming to stand over the young vampire as he roused, the Original gazed at him with patronizing amusement as he asked, "Joshua, would you kindly enlighten me as to what happened here?" As he did, he pulled out his pocket square from his suit jacket and dropped it on the lad's chest, who's face was covered in his own blood.

While Josh groaned in pain and clambered up from the floor, Elijah moved around the room taking in the carnage. The other vampires were still out of commission and the appallingly subpar furniture was tossed all over the room. Whomever had done this had been strong and powerful.

"Ohhh," the younger vampire replied as he rubbed his shoulder in pain, "God, this woman..."

"What woman?"

"I don't know. She walked in like she owned the place. Said she had to talk to Marcel in private," Josh paused to wipe the blood away that was under his nose, then he said, "We tried to get rid of her, and _boom_\- Smackdown City. Which obviously went quite well."

As he explained, Elijah notices something on the floor next to one of the unconscious vampires. He crouched down gracefully and picked up a small black business card with a stylistic looking owl stamped on the front in white ink, of which he examined as he held it in his hand.

"Did this woman happen to have a name?" He asked Josh next.

"I don't know," replied the boy at first, but after a moment's thought, said, "Um...Aya?"

Upon hearing that familiar name, Elijah closed his eyes and sighed, "Aya. Let me guess- Five-foot-seven, built like a goddess, vicious as a viper?"

"So, you know her?"

"I sired her."

Then the Original dipped the business card into the nearby pool of blood and watched as writing beneath the owl insignia appeared in the form of an address: 7041 St. Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA. This was where he would find Aya, Marcel...and the Strix, including their serpent of a leader, Tristan de Martel.

Immediately did he leave the loft with haste. If that brood of elites were in town, then that meant trouble of the worst kind. Eternity had been right. Old friends were in town and a new storm was brewing. He needed to find out just what exactly was going on and quickly. Though he could guess it had something to do with this damned prophecy against he and his.

Speaking of the ethereal woman, upon exiting the building, he found her waiting for him. She stood there with her arms folded across her chest, a smirk upon her plush lips, and dressed in the exact same silks and leathers he had torn from her body in blind, angry passion not an hour before. She approached him slowly, the breeze making her wispy white locks ripple and wave about her as she came closer. It also shimmered in the sunlight, making her appear divinely otherworldly.

"So, you have found the location of one old friend, as I said you would," Eternity said to him.

"Yes, I have," he replied curtly with one hand in his pants pocket. "I'm heading there now. Thank you for your insight. You may run along now as this does not concern you."

As he turned from her, mostly to put distance between them since he could not trust himself around her, she called out to him, "I think I'd rather accompany you!"

Elijah inwardly swore and turned back to face her, though he didn't draw closer, "That won't be necessary. I have things well in hand." He smiled tightly at her.

Eternity grinned amusedly in response and closed the distance between them, "Oh, I wasn't asking. I was very much telling." She patted him on the shoulder, before moving around him to head in the direction he had been going.

With an tightening jaw and a hidden white knuckled fist, he growled annoyedly to himself. Then he sharply turned to follow her, praying for someone or something to save him from this torturous nightmare he found himself in.

Before long, they arrived at the address on the business card Elijah had found inside Marcel's dwelling. In that time, he had remained quiet, though Eternity had tried to engage him in nostalgic conversation, speaking of the good parts of their shared past. It was more than he could bear. He didn't want to remember it. He wanted to forget.

"This reminds me of our past adventures, when you acted as my familiar, my right hand," she smiled fondly as they reached their destination, her still walking in front of him. "We had a lot of fun throwing our weights around as alphas - I as the Universal Queen and you as an Original. You were my greatest familiar. It will be interesting to see our prefect rhythm in action again as it has been an age."

At those words, Elijah could no longer stand being silent. He grabbed Eternity by the arm harshly and spun her to face him. "I am _not_ your familiar nor your right hand, not now, not ever again," he growled down at her quietly. "In fact, let me make it perfectly clear to you that I am the one in control here. We are not partners as we may have been in the past. You will follow me, do as _I_ say. Do you understand me?"

She gazed at him momentarily as if she were going to protest, but then she nodded in acceptance.

"Good," he released her, moving ahead inside, snapping his fingers at her as he did, when he noticed she didn't automatically follow him. "Shall we move, please?"

It was Eternity's turn to look at him in displeasure. He heard her quietly dangerous growl at his command and the condescending way he snapped his fingers at her, but could only grin to himself as he headed inside, with her following him per his order.

Elijah could hear Marcel talking to Aya as they entered the ornate and elegant building. He moved down the hall at vampire speed, stopping just outside the open doors, as he heard the younger vampire laugh, "A great sales pitch, really." He echoes of mockingly clapping could be heard and then Marcel said, "Just one thing - who's 'us'?"

The immortal queen caught up to him just then, coming to stand behind him in the shadows.

"The oldest society of vampires this world has ever known," Aya was heard replying. "We are called The Strix."

It was here that Elijah moved to make his entrance, coming to stand openly in the doorway of the room. "Quite the prestigious organization," he said to the occupants. "Responsible for countless wars, numerous plagues, assassinations..."

He found it rather amusing how Aya froze at the sound of his voice and refused to immediately turn around to face him. Her body language told him that she was displeased with his sudden appearance there.

Good, he thought. He wasn't exactly fond to see her either.

"You have to break rules if you want to build a new world," Aya responded to him haughtily, turning to face him at last. "Hello Elijah. It's been a while."

Marcel sighed exasperatedly, "You two know each other."

"Intimately," Elijah replied to him, just as he sped toward the tall woman, grabbed her by the back of the neck and bent her backwards with his hand shoved into her chest, literally holding her heart in his hand.

Eternity had moved into the room behind Elijah, if the resounding gasps and whispers from the Strix members around them were any indication. It was a curious thing their seemingly familiar reactions to his companion, but he refused to be distracted by her or the reactions of the others to the ethereal woman. He remained focused on his other former lover, whom he currently had at his mercy.

He gazed threateningly at a gasping, pained Aya as he murmured, "Whatever you are doing here, I know you're not alone."

"Let her go, Elijah. No need for this to become vulgar," called a familiar make voice suddenly from the doorway.

With a roll of his eyes and a smirk, he said, "And _there_ he is." He turned with his hand still embedded in Aya's chest and finished, "Tristan."

The little weasel stood there in a dapper suit with more Strix members around him.

Elijah noticed that Eternity stood behind the group near the doorway, unseen by any of them, looking rather amused by the whole scene before her. For now, it seemed she was remaining neutral, which was fine by him. He didn't want her interference anyway.

The Strix members moved in around him and Marcel, prompting the younger vampire to murmur to him, "You go left, I go right?"

Unsure of his intensions with the infamous vampire society, Elijah yanked his hand out of Aya's chest, much to her relief, and turned to Tristan as he replied to his companion, "Why don't you stay where I can see you?"

"It's been ages since I've enjoyed a good scrap, but, uh...it's not why I'm here," Tristan said bemused, rolling his eyes and handing Elijah his pocket square for him to clean Aya's blood from his hand.

Annoyed, the Original took the offered piece of fabric and began to clean his red stained hand.

"Mr. Mikaelson and I require the room," the little weasel politely ordered the Strix. "Please leave us."

Immediately did everyone else leave, except for Marcel and Eternity, whom remained in the same spot so far.

As soon as they were alone, Tristen began to explain, "Elijah, your sireline - your _life - _is at stake. You want to hear what I have to say."

With a reluctant sigh, Elijah dismissed Marcel, whom was displeased with being treated as an underling instead of an equal partner or friend, but begrudgingly did as he requested. He knew better than to try and dismiss Eternity. She wouldn't go, even if he requested her to. So he paid her no mind and focused on Tristan.

However, it seemed that the weasel had noticed her presence after all, when he said to Elijah, "I'll tell you, but first, I have been dying to meet your lovely companion. Please, introduce me to the notorious 'White Goddess' of legend amongst the worldwide Strix community."

Elijah was surprised. He had never heard of this nickname for Eternity before nor had he ever heard of such a phantom plaguing the Strix. This was the first he was hearing of it.

Before the Original could react, Tristan turned to face Eternity, who finally moved away from the wall and gracefully approached. "So you have heard of me...Mr. de Martel, is it?" The queen said.

"Please, call me Tristan, my dear," the little weasel replied charmingly, lifting one of the ethereal beauty's hands to his disgusting lips and kissing her knuckles gentlemanly. "And you are?"

"My allies call me Eternity, but since you are not that, you may refer to me as Your Majesty," said Eternity with a tight, unamused smile, "You understand, yes?"

Immediately did Tristan drop her hand and swallowed thickly, clearing his throat nervously as he turned back to Elijah, whom had been rather amused by her response to the other man's false charms.

"Yes well," the weasel said to the Original, changing the subject, "perhaps we should get down to business."

The amusement left Elijah as quickly as it came. He turned and moved over to the large window to gaze out over the New Orleans cityscape. "You waltz into my city unannounced with your flock of sycophants flaunting news of a threat," he spoke gruffly. "All the while, your little lapdog Aya is conspiring with none other than Marcel Gerard."

Tristan rolled his eyes yet again as he replied with a bit of amusement, "'Conspiring?' How grandiose. I thought _I_ was the one with a flair for the dramatic."

Elijah turned then and moved toward the other man as he coldly said, "Watch your tongue. I am _not_ the patient, fun-loving social butterfly you might recall."

"Your Marcel is a potential recruit," Tristan sighed. "He has nothing to do with the larger issue we face."

"The larger issue?" He responded skeptically, while dramatically turning a nearby chair toward the weasel and sitting fluidly upon it.

"You've no doubt heard about the war between the sirelines?" The other man told him. "Well, as it happens, your line, thanks to my Strix, has wreaked all manner of havoc on Lucien and his assorted interests. As a result, he's desperate to exterminate the lot of us - me, Aya, everyone you've sired. Of course, the economical way to complete this task would be for him to kill you."

Eternity stepped in then, coming to stand beside Elijah with a hand on his shoulder protectively, "This Lucien can try to kill Elijah or any of the Originals, but he won't get far enough to succeed. It so happens that the Mikealson family is under my protection and I'm afraid any Earth-based immortal is out of their league if they think they can get anywhere near those I stand guard over."

Elijah was moved by her determined words, though he fought those softer feelings with every fiber of his being. He did not show how they affected him, keeping his poker face in perfect order.

"Well, that is a surprise, my lady," Tristan replied rather neutrally. "Seeing as it goes against your reputation as an unstoppable vampire hunter. Your body count is notoriously impressive, especially amongst my Strix, many that have fallen by your hand throughout the centuries, if I recall. So forgive me, if I am a little skeptical about your intentions for my sire - and the rest of the Mikaelson clan too, of course."

Eternity stepped forward then, "I only kill those whom pose an immediate threat to the innocent through war and mass killings and other such vile behavior. Your Strix and others like them are threats, whom do not seek peace or coexistence amongst the innocent. As Mr. Mikaelson pointed out, you and yours are rather infamous yourselves in your disregard for others, in being the cause of so much chaos and destruction. If you sought peace, then I would leave you be, but you are a dangerous lot and I fear your time is about done."

Tristan swallowed thickly in nervousness again, averting his gaze like a sniveling coward.

"The Mikaelsons, though flawed as well, are not quite as wicked as you," the ethereal woman carried on, turning back to Elijah, whom gazed at her curiously, "despite what some might claim. Are they of light? No. Have they left death and destruction in their wake? Yes. However, I see the potential in each of them to change, to be better than the monsters they were created to be. I see hope in them, a flicker of light - the very thing that I do not see in you or yours or any of the other vampires I have slain over the years, Mr. de Martel. So do _not_ doubt my intentions, sir, for I will defend them with all that I am until the end of time. Are we clear?"

Tristan nodded, "Of course. Forgive me."

Elijah gazed in wonder at Eternity, feeling a well of emotions coming to the surface at her words. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, though he didn't doubt what she said. She didn't just profess protectiveness over himsekf, but over the rest of his family too. Yet, he still kept what he was feeling hidden, especially as she rejoined his side with a small smile flashed in his direction.

"Now that's settled," the ethereal woman said to the weasel. "Perhaps you can continue your explanation, Mr. de Martel?"

Tristan opened and closed his mouth several times, before he hopped to it and returned his attention to Elijah, who patiently waited for this charade to conclude.

"As I was saying, Lucien will try to kill you," he began again, but paused at Elijah's unbelieving face. "You don't believe me. I know that you have a friend in high places, but you shouldn't be so careless as to think Lucien cannot still get to you. Your companion cannot protect you twenty-four seven, after all. I'm sure she has other duties to attend to, not pertained to your safety or that of your family."

Tristan briefly gazed at Eternity, whom only grinned humorlessly in return, before once more returning to Elijah, "Perhaps you underestimate Lucien's ambition? While I doubt he'd have the gall to attack you directly, I believe he might try and find someone else to do it- namely, Niklaus."

Elijah narrowed his eyes at the little weasel, intrigued, but still doubtful, "What makes you so certain that Niklaus would select Lucien over his own family?"

"From what I hear," the other vampire replied, "he tortured his friend Marcel, cursed the mother of his child, and burned your paramour in front of you, all because he thought it the logical way to defeat his enemy. With Lucien in his ear, how long before the logical thing is to get rid of you?"

At the reminder of losing Gia, Elijah grew angry and saddened all over again, clenching his fist as his poker face momentarily slipped. Then he felt Eternity's hand upon his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Her small gesture of comfort was enough to help him to pull the mask back into place.

"Well, how very fortunate, indeed, then — Niklaus is on his way right now to put Lucien out of our collective misery." he said, as he gracefully rose from the chair and turned to leave with Eternity following him.

"You have to stop him!" Called Tristan, stopping him.

Elijah turned back to scoff, "And why would I do that?"

"Lucian has a seer that believes there's an object capable of killing you," the other man said.

"I'm well aware of the object in question. My sister also foresaw it," he smiled tightly.

"Well, I don't have it," Tristan told him. "I'm quite certain _my_ sister doesn't have it, either. Logically, then, one must assume that Lucien has it, or he knows where it is. If he dies, _none_ of us will find it. Not until some other assassin attempts to use it against you. If you've any hope of finding that which can kill us all, Niklaus needs to be stopped."

Elijah sighed and inwardly swore. Damn this fool for being right, he thought.

Immediately, he once more turned to leave. This time he was unimpeded and was allowed to leave. Eternity followed him out, but not before she issued a threat unto Tristan, "You wish to live, yes? Well then, do be careful how you step in the future, Mr. de Martel, because I will be watching and waiting for you to...misstep."

The Original couldn't help but to smirk to himself as he heard this, but like always covered his amusement up quickly as she caught up to him. He couldn't afford to allow the lady to see anything other than his hostility and hate.

Elijah still refused to show her his admiration...or his love.

**To Be Continued...**


	6. Chapter 6: In Preparation

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Elijah or any elements from the Vampire Diaries/the Originals. I do, however, own my OC Eternity and any elements from my up and coming novel. Please review! I'd appreciate it a lot! Thanks and happy reading!

**Author's Note**: This chapter is based on TO Season 3, Episode 4.

* * *

After the meeting with Tristan, Eternity had excused herself from Elijah's company, telling him he could handle his brother and any developments that could come up until she returned. He didn't know where she had headed or what she had been up to - and he didn't ask. He pretended not to care. He swore he didn't and yet...

Elijah had forced himself to put the ethereal beauty out of his mind and had moved to intercept his brother, whom had been on his way to kill Lucien. He had succeeded in stopping Niklaus as Tristan had suggested. Afterwards, they had talked of finding the weapons in question and then banishing both Lucien and Tristan from their lives.

It was rather infuriating not knowing who to trust and who not to. This prophecy of doom was rather irritating as well. He wished there was a clear and swift resolution for dealing with it, but so long as their most powerful ally, Eternity, was absent, they were stuck in a realm of uncertainty.

Speaking of the immortal queen...

Elijah had been working out his frustrations regarding the prophecy and his family's potential foes at Marcel's gym, hitting a punching bag over and over and over again until his vexation was so great he punched the bag clean off it's chains, sending it across the room. It was then that he noticed her, standing there with a hand on her waist and a small grin upon her lips.

"Well, well, seems someone has some issues they have to work out," called Eternity as she drew closer. She came to lean back against the arena fencing, while gazing at him seductively. "If that is the case, perhaps we could have another go at each other. After all, we both know how that will end." She lightly laughed and bit her lower lip. "There is more than one way to work out one's frustrations."

The Original couldn't help but be drawn in by her. Her body called to his automatically and it took every ounce of mental strength to resist. Something he managed to do, but barely. To help himself, he reached for a towel and blotted his face of sweat as a means of distraction. He didn't dare respond to her flirtation.

When he didn't, she showed him an invitation she had in her hand. "I actually came on behave of Hayley, whom had received this at the front door of the compound. I had only just arrived when this was sent over. It's from the Strix - Mr. de Martel, specifically."

Finally, intrigued, Elijah approached her, taking the invitation from her and reading it for himself:

"You are cordially invited to an evening of exquisite excess. The Davilla Estate, 7041 St. Charles Avenue. Midnight. I do hope that you can come, old chum. Signed, Tristan."

It seemed the weasel was making a move, but to what end?

"So, Mr. Mikaelson? Care to escort a lady to a prestigious party?" Eternity asked him with a playful grin.

Elijah couldn't help but be affected by her playfulness, grinning at her in return; though he tried to hide it. "Perhaps," he replied, coming closer - a dangerous move to be sure, "but only if the lady explains to me where she has been in this time of crisis?"

"Oh? And here I thought you didn't care, Elijah," she teased him with another small laugh. "Well, if you must know, I had business elsewhere to attend to. It was a little crisis, much smaller than the ones you and yours face, but one that I had to deal with personally."

"You're being quite cryptic," he narrowed his eyes on her.

Eternity's playfulness faded a bit then as she averted her gaze, "Aye, mostly because I fear what your reaction will be if I told you the entire truth."

That had his attention. "And what pray tell would the whole truth be?"

She took a moment to collect herself, licking her lower lip as she met his gaze again to say, "It was a marriage proposal of sorts. An old friend whom has been in love with me for ages has asked to court me with the intention of marrying me. It was why I left that morning before you woke and why I had to leave so quickly after meeting with Tristan. I was spending time with him, trying to come to a decision."

Elijah felt his chest tighten at her words. He felt like he couldn't breathe. Someone was trying to court her, trying to claim Eternity for their own! No...nobody was allowed to have her. Nobody else.

His reaction was instinctual, based on raw emotion and nothing more. He crossed the distance at vampire speed then, taking hold of her wrists and pinning them to the fencing behind her while he pressed into her with his body. He growled at her, his face inches from hers. He didn't say anything, though he did want to hiss '_mine_' at her. Yet, he refrained.

Instead, his mouth descended upon hers in fiery passion. One of his hands moved from her wrist to cup the side of her neck as he plundered her mouth, tasting the warm, wet cavern hungrily. Her hand that he had released raked through his hair, before cradling the back of his head as they kissed needfully.

Soon Elijah's other hand let go of her other wrist and began to wander Eternity's body. He reached under the crop top she wore to caress and kneed her breast, just as his mouth left hers and trailed lower over her jaw, reaching to suckle on her earlobe briefly, and then traveling down the column of her neck.

All the while the ethereal woman gasped and writhed against him, quietly murmuring his name as her newly released hand moved to clutch his shoulder. Her nails dug into his skin bitingly.

He paid it little mind, enjoying it, letting the pain drive him on - taking his need higher.

Then just as Elijah was ready to tear her clothes from her body and have his way with her, Eternity stopped him, pulling his head back until his lustful eyes met hers. He gazed at her questioningly, wondering why she was stopping him when it was clear she wanted him too. Her arousal was already permeating the room.

"Elijah, as much as I want to carry on," she breathed barely above a whisper. "We have a mission to see to. We need to focus on that, yes?"

He knew she was right. Tristan was up to something and he needed to find out exactly what. Therefore, with great reluctance, he stepped away from Eternity and took a moment to cool his heated blood.

"You're right, of course," he replied gruffly, "but do not think that we are finished with this...conversation. We shall revisit it later. For now, we have a party to prepare for." He smiled at her genuinely, though he swore he hadn't meant to.

Eternity grinned, "Aye, that we do."

After that, Elijah brought the immortal queen back to the Mikaelson compound, just in time to hear Niklaus ranting and raving like the paranoid lunatic he was to Freya and Hayley. He was going on about the prophecy, about how they didn't know whom to trust and whom to kill, wishing that the path was clearer.

Just as he and his companion came to intervene, they bore witness to Hayley comforting Niklaus. She cupped the side of his face as she gazed deeply into his light blue eyes. "It's okay, Klaus. We'll figure this out. We'll make it through. I promise," she murmured to him, which to Elijah's surprise seemed to calm him considerably.

It was the first time he had seen such a reaction come out of his little brother. Nobody could calm the hybrid when he was in a state of paranoid and panic usually. Yet, Hayley did just that. She had soothed the savage beast with a touch and a few comforting words.

Despite this, upon seeing Elijah and Eternity come into the room, the female hybrid jumped away slightly, looking almost ashamed that she had been caught being tender to Niklaus. Yet, Elijah's brother barely noticed it as his eyes fell upon the white-haired beauty beside him.

"You," he said, pointing a finger at Eternity. "Just where the bloody hell have you been?"

"It's good to see you too, Niklaus," she replied easily. "I had business elsewhere. As you are aware, I do have others that need my attention, but I am here now to aid you."

He sighed exasperatedly as he turned away, "Well, it's about time."

"Do not fret, old friend," spoke Eternity gently. "I shall be accompanying your brother to the Strix party tonight to see what Mr. de Martel is up to. Depending on how things go, you lot might not have to worry about one of the potential threats against you. I will kill that moronic bastard and his horde of fools should the opportunity present itself. I've been after that lot for an age. It will be my pleasure to put them all out of all our collective miseries."

Elijah's jaw tightened at that. While he didn't like what Tristan had turned his Strix into, he didn't necessarily want them dead. They could still be useful, should the tide of power shift - should he reclaim what was his. Perhaps he needed to lay down some ground rules to Eternity for the party, before they went.

For now, it was decided that while Elijah and Eternity attended the Strix party, Niklaus would go speak with Lucien, to feel out the other potential threat. He would request to see the seer he had on hand. To see for himself what the little witch had been feeding Lucien. Hayley had requested to go with Niklaus, to aid her husband, but Elijah's brother wouldn't listen to his pleading wife, wanting her to remain safe at the compound.

Once the stubborn hybrid swept out of the room, Elijah moved to comfort Hayley, but was stopped by Eternity. She gave him a reassuring look, before she stepped in to speak kindly to the clearly upset female hybrid.

"Come, my dear," the queen said, interlocking their arms. "Come with me. I need some female fashion advice for tonight's party."

Hayley eyed her strangely, before she allowed the other woman to pull her from the room.

The rest of the evening had been spent preparing. Elijah didn't see much of Eternity or Hayley in that time, which made him al, the more curious as to what the two women were up to. He figured that the ethereal beauty was offering comfort to the female hybrid in the form of wise council regarding Niklaus no doubt, but did it really take all evening to offer such advice?

Unable to help himself as was typical where Eternity was concerned he sensed her out, listening for her heartbeat and sniffing for her scent until he found her with Hayley in one if the guest rooms. He did not immediately make his presence known as he heard the two women conversing, hearing his own name fall from his sister-in-law's mouth.

"So, how does someone like you know Elijah?" Hayley asked Eternity. "Sorry, I mean..."

"It's quite alright, I know what you mean. The truth is we met by chance a century and a half ago," the immortal queen replied casually. "I was hunting Strix members at that time, and any other supernatural that dared to threaten the innocent, of course. I encountered him at a party, while on the hunt, and the connection had been instant and unlike any other I have ever had with another. Intrigued, I began to seek him out in a series of follow up meetings, though he probably still thinking it was by accident to this day. We fell in love and it was magical, unforgettable, and addictive in every way. I've never experienced something so profound, so powerful - so inescapable."

"What happened?" The female hybrid asked next, curious.

Elijah heard Eternity sigh, "As you are certainly aware, Niklaus can be impulsive, violent, and indiscriminate when it comes to whom he kills, especially when dealing with threats to himself or those he cares for. Kol is even worse than him in his lack of caring whom dies. Together, those two are a wicked force of destruction and death or at least, they were at that time.

"I tried to let Elijah handle his chaotic brothers, tried to give Niklaus and Kol time to change, because I liked them when they weren't being monsters. They were my friends, despite their flaws. Yet, Elijah couldn't stop them, though he did try. Finally, I couldn't stand by any more. I had to take a stand. I had been forced to choose my duty over my heart.

"I attempted to kill Niklaus and Kol," Eternity admitted quietly, mournfully. "The only reason why they were not back then was because Elijah put himself between his brothers and I. He knew I wouldn't kill him, that I couldn't. He was my weakness and he knew that, used it to his advantage to get me to stay my hand. I did, of course, but I still lost Elijah anyway. I betrayed him by going after his brothers, after I had sworn to him that I would never. It is my biggest regret. I have not been whole since we parted ways. It is why I'm here, to make amends for the past. I'll fight for this family - for him - until my last breath."

"Sounds like you guys have quite a history," Hayley said. "Has he forgiven you? He seemed pretty pissed at Madame LaRue's, but just now, he didn't seem so angry."

"It remains ever complicated, I'm afraid," the ethereal woman replied. "Speaking of changes, I saw the way you were able to temper Niklaus's mania. I've never seen such magic before. Nik must truly love you, to allow someone that close, to trust someone like that. You are certainly something special, Mrs. Mikaelson. Please, don't take Niklaus protectiveness the wrong way, he does because he loves you."

"I don't know if I'm really all that special," murmured Hayley humbly, "but thanks. I hope Elijah comes to realize what he has right in front of him, before it's too late. You're pretty amazing yourself. He's an idiot if he lets you get away again."

Elijah felt a swirl of emotions at the two women's conversation. The remorseful and sad way Eternity spoke about the past touched him in ways he was still trying to resist, though not as adamantly as before. Hayley's words resonated with him as well.

It was here that the Original finally decided to make his entrance. He appeared in the doorway and knocked on the door jamb politely. He was dressed in his tuxedo already and it seemed so was Eternity.

She sat on the bed, next to Hayley. The two obviously having just been in conversation. As soon as she saw him, she rose from the edge of the bed gracefully with her hands folded in front of her. She was ready for the party ahead.

Eternity was stunning, to say the least. Quite frankly, she was dressed as the queen she truly was in brilliant white lace encrusted with little diamonds that sparked like starlight. The gown hugged her curves perfectly, before flaring outward at the knees with the fabric pooling around her feet. Her white hair was woven in a braid hung over one shoulder with more diamonds infused into it.

Yes, she was very regal indeed.

"Geez, Elijah," Hayley commented with a small teasing grin. "If you stare at E any longer, she might burst into flames."

Elijah blinked rapidly, having not realized that he had been caught staring at Eternity's beauty. He looked away with a sheepish smile, as he collected himself, before he returned his gaze to the shimmering woman he was so enthralled by.

He cleared his throat and said, "You are perfection, Sweetheart."

At the same time, they both realized what he had just said. Sapphire met chocolate in surprise at his use of the term of endearment he had given to her long ago, as a sign of his affections for her in that bygone time when they had been happy in love. He swallowed thickly, while she gazed curiously at him, standing perfectly still in that otherworldly way of hers.

"Uh, yes...well, we should probably head out," he said as coolly as he could manage, unable to meet her eyes. "I'll be waiting for you in the courtyard. Do not linger. We must be punctual."

With a curt nod, he exited the room, to prevent any more slip ups.

"Well, if that isn't a man in love, I don't know what is," Elijah heard Hayley say to Eternity before he could get far.

Sighing heavily, he sped away before he could hear the ethereal woman's response. He simply didn't want to know.

**To Be Continued...**


	7. Chapter 7: The Strix Party

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Elijah or any elements from the Vampire Diaries/the Originals. I do, however, own my OC Eternity and any elements from my up and coming novel. Please review! I'd appreciate it a lot! Thanks and happy reading!

**Author's Note**: This chapter is also based on TO Season 3, Episode 4.

* * *

The party was in full swing, when Elijah arrived with Eternity on his arm. The Davilla Estate was beautiful and bright, full of elegance fit for the oldest society of vampires. The crowds were numerous, all dressed in their finest, with masks covering their faces. Neither the Original or the lady he escorted wore them, choosing to be bold, showing their identities freely.

All eyes fell upon the pair as they moved inside. There were whispers too. Many of the murmurs were in curious regard to Elijah's status as the Strix founders and as an Original, while there were also vicious ones aimed at the lady beside him. He glanced at her to see her reaction to the attention, but she remained ever calm and unperturbed.

"Someone is quite the big deal around here," commented Eternity quietly. "Look at the way they all stare."

"Yes, I am. Though I do not think that all attention is focused on me," he murmured back, smiling slightly at her.

She nodded, "Aye, true enough. I suppose the appearance of the Strix top enemy would take precedence over the presence of their founding father. I'm sure having me on your arm is winning you all kinds of respect and adoration from these people right now."

Elijah noted the sarcasm in her voice as they moved toward the bar. "Yes, having the 'White Goddess' by my side surely isn't doing me any favors," he said, pausing to order a bourbon from the bartender, before turning back to the lady with a sly grin, "It is quite fortunate that I am not looking for approval here. Therefore, I don't give a damn what these miscreants think of me or my lovely companion."

He knew he shouldn't flirt with Eternity, but he couldn't help it. He knew he was supposed to be angry and hateful toward her, but as of late, he couldn't bring himself to be either. Perhaps it was all her defenses of his family and himself, as well as her talk with Hayley about her remorse for the past, that had his hostility toward her cooling.

Eternity noticed it, but said nothing about it. She only smiled and then told him, "You know, I was unaware that the Strix were devised by you, Mr. Mikaelson, and what I know of you, I know that you never intended this lot to be the monstrous plague they have become. So I have been curious to know, just what were your intentions for this elite organization of your sired at their inception?"

"I wanted to assemble minds curious about the world and eager to improve it, along with the time and circumstance to do so," Elijah replied as he sipped from the glass in his hand. "My desire was to create an elite brotherhood devoted to a new, better civilization. It was naive. Eventually, I was forced to abandon them once I realized I'd cultivated a legion of ego-maniacal _sociopaths_."

Eternity gazed at him then with an indescribable look, one he could not decipher in the least. "It wasn't naive," she spoke softly, her eyes peering at him, as if she was looking deep into his soul. "You wanted to use your vampirism for the betterment of the world around you, to influence it, to help it grow to be the best it could be. There is nothing wrong with that. It wasn't an evil pursuit, but a noble one. It wasn't as though, you were cultivating an army for world domination like Niklaus would and has, for that matter. You were simply trying to make the world a better place, until things went sideways. Even though things did not turn out how you hoped, nobody can fault you for your efforts."

She gazed at him a moment longer, before breaking it and turning away to face the bar. She was trying to hide her emotions from him by doing so.

He gazed at her contemplatively, her words affecting him, though he tried to shake it away. Then he downed the rest of the amber liquid and held out his hand to Eternity, asking, "Would you like to dance, my lady?"

That got her to look up at him again, as her sapphire eyes darted between his hand and his face a couple of times, before she smiled slightly and accepted his outstretched hand, letting him take her by the hand and move onto the dance floor. He spun her toward him once there and pulled her close, closer than necessary at that, with one hand the small of her back and the other clasping hers still. They began to move across the dance floor in that perfect rhythm that was unique to the two of them.

He gazed at her and she gazed right back, as the world around them faded and it became just the two of them. Their eyes stayed locked as an intense desire to kiss her began to spark within Elijah, as it always did whenever he was around Eternity it seemed, much to his mild irritation. His face drew closer to hers automatically as they swayed on the dance floor.

This moment reminded him of the past. They had danced at balls and galas plenty of times together, usually with Niklaus, Rebekah, Kol, and a young, still human Marcel in tow. They had been in love then, happy and carefree, lost in each other so completely that nothing else mattered around them, especially when on the dance floor together. It had been a happy time, one that he had never forgotten, despite...well, everything.

"Elijah?" Eternity called to him.

"Yes?"

"Don't look now, but Marcel is here," she whispered, looking over across the dance floor. "He's over there with Aya."

Elijah's gaze followed hers and saw with his own eyes, the younger vampire with his former lover. "I should have known," he said quietly, as he observed them.

"What? What is it?"

"This isn't a party. It's an initiation."

Eternity looked at him then, "Truly? What does that entail exactly?"

Before Elijah could answer her, a row of caterers with trays of champagne flutes walked into the room and tapped their glasses with butter knives to get the attention of the party. The sound was loud, loud enough to quiet the room. It was then, with this signal, that Tristan de Martel finally showed his weaselly face at the gathering.

"Distinguished friends, welcome," Tristan, dressed smartly in a tuxedo like the rest of the men at the party, announced to the crowd. "It's so rare that we're able to come together like this to revel for one night in the company of true equals. Now, I'd like to take a moment to welcome a very special guest - Marcel Gerard."

Having stopped dancing, Elijah turned and watched the little weasel with Eternity leaning against him as she too watched the events unfold before them. Both watched with a narrowed, mistrusting gazes.

As the crowd around them clapped as Marcel came forward and offered thanks to the guests, Tristan continued to speak, saying with a smile, "Of course, before we tell Marcel all of our secrets, there's one small piece of business to which we must first attend. We must determine his worth."

The younger vampire gave a confused frown then, "That's funny. I seem to recall you being the one knocking on _my_ door."

"You'll notice, Mr. Gerard," the weasel explained, "that over the course of the evening, someone has managed to take something quite dear to you - your daylight ring."

Elijah watched as Marcel looked down and found his ring was in fact missing from his hand. The younger vampire looked suddenly worried, which made sense since he didn't know what to expect. Meanwhile, he felt Eternity tense beside him and he knew she was ready to defend Marcel, to save him from whatever potential dangers Tristan was about to put him in.

He smoothly wrapped an arm around her waist as an act of comfort, but also to keep her from acting prematurely. All the while, he kept his gaze on Mr. de Martel, waiting to see what was to happen next.

"The test is quite simple," Tristan informed Marcel. "First, you need to deduce the identity of the thief. Then, you are simply to take back what is yours. Although, I doubt the prize will be easily relinquished. After all, despite our refinement, we're still a rather violent bunch."

Elijah saw the younger vampire gulp, but had to give him props since he maintained his composure beyond that little sign of nervousness.

"In victory, you become one of us," concluded Tristan. "In failure, you meet your death. You have a few hours until dawn. I wish you the best of luck."

With that, the challenge was laid out and now there was nothing for Marcel to do, but figure out who had his ring and kill the thief or die, if he failed to figure it out by the end of the party. Everyone else went back to chatting and dancing, while the younger vampire got to work in Tristan's game of deduction.

"I should simply kill them all," growled Eternity quietly. "I will not let Marcel die this night."

"Easy, Sweet -," Elijah responded calmly, catching himself before he slipped up in his use of his term of endearment for her...again. "Of course, we won't let him die, if it came down to it, but give Marcel some credit. He is resourceful and talented. We should have at least a little faith in his capability for success in this challenge."

Eternity looked at him and then sighed, "I suppose you are right."

"Come. Let's get another drink, shall we? I suspect it's going to be a long evening," he said, putting a hand on the small of her back in a gentlemanly fashion and guiding her back to the bar.

They stood there together, watching the crowd while Elijah partook in another bourbon. Eternity continued to fret, feeling on edge and quite frankly murderous due to current events. She wanted to act, to slaughter the whole room to save Marcel and he felt a certain level of admiration for the ethereal woman and her protective nature of those she cared about.

In his anger and hurt over her past betrayal, he had forgotten just how fierce she could be when a loved one was threatened. It was killing her not to destroy the Strix in order to save her friend, something he found adorable and admirable equally.

"I know you said to have faith in Marcel's abilities, but I remain uncertain," Eternity murmured to him as she furiously watched the guests dancing. "These vampires are ancient, nearly as ancient as you are. I just cannot see how Marcel clan stand a chance against one of them?"

Before Elijah could respond, Tristan came upon them, answering Eternity, "With guile, courage, perhaps a bit of trickery. Admittedly, it's a long-shot, but then, sometimes the new candidates surprise us."

Eternity tensed immediately at the sight of the Strix leader, shooting a glaring smile at him.

Having seen this, Tristan turned to address her personally, taking her hand and kissing the back of it as he did, "Ah, Your Majesty. How good it is to see you again. I hope you have been enjoying the party so far. I made sure that my Strix behaved themselves on the off chance that you would be accompanying my sire, as to ensure there wouldn't be any killings of my people this night. At least, not by your hand." He grinned at her.

The ethereal woman pulled her hand away from him sharply and smiled venomously at him, "Well, the evening is still young, Mr. de Martel. There might still be death by my hand this night, well behaved Strix or not."

Tristan's jaw tightened at her threat and his eyes widened with fear, but it was only for a moment and then he regained his composure. He turned his attention to Elijah, greeting him, "Elijah! When I sent your invitation, I didn't dare think you'd come. Tell me- as our founder and patriarch, what do you make of our latest candidate?

Elijah's sarcastically answered, "Well, let me see. Marcel... he's arrogant. He's stubborn. Prone to self-aggrandizement. He should fit in perfectly!"

"_If_ he survives," smirked the little weasel.

Eternity growled audibly.

"I see, Marcel is a friend of yours," Tristan turned back to her.

"Aye, and you had better hope that he survives your little game, because of he does not," the immortal queen calmly, but unpleasantly replied. "I will be coming for you and yours in a reign of bloodshed and destruction, not unlike what your little group. It shall be poetic justice, to be sure."

The Strix leader smiled charmingly at her and held out his hand to her, "I think we might have gotten off on the wrong foot, my dear. Allow me to fix that. May I have this dance, dear lady?"

Eternity looked at Elijah warily and he looked back at her with the same caution.

"Please, Majesty? It is just one dance," Tristan urged Eternity, gazing at her with subtle lewdness, then looked at Elijah pointedly, "If it is not an intrusion, of course."

Elijah and Eternity continued to look at each other for a while longer, before the Original turned to his first aired and faked a polite smile as he said, "By all means, be my guest. So long as the lady accepts, of course."

In a surprising act, the ethereal beauty reached for Elijah, grabbing the back of his head and pulling his mouth down to hers in a searing kiss, fiery in it's passion. He recovered from the initial surprise instantly and reciprocated eagerly. The whole display was to demonstrate where her loyalties lie, and not to be outdone, his tongue pried her mouth open and dove inside, plundering the warm cavern, as Eternity pressed herself into him.

It had been a brief kiss, but in those few seconds, it felt like he was lost forever in her sweetness and the lust she invoked in him. Then she had pulled away quickly, much to his disappointment. She grinned playfully at him and then smugly at Tristan, while taking the little weasel's still outstretched hand. The other man looked spectacularly uncomfortable and Elijah found it amusing.

Even so, he had to actively keep himself from not letting her go with the other man. He forced himself not to pull her back against him, hold her to him, while he warned off the little weasel in a most base fashion. Successfully not giving into his impulse, he watched as she went with Tristan reluctantly.

As he did, Elijah found that her impromptu kiss had triggered his memories. He recalled the open displays of affection they used to shower unto each other in front of everyone, causing quite the stir of jealous gossip and curious admiration amongst other guests, whenever they were in public. The level of openness toward public displays of affection with Eternity he had back then was so astoundingly out of character for him that it had prompted many comments from his siblings, particularly Niklaus.

However, he hadn't cared about anything other than the woman he had loved in those happy days, having been taken completely by the extraordinary female that he had met by chance - the very one that had changed his life forever, for better or worse. Despite how things had ended, he couldn't deny that fact. He had certainly never been the same since meeting her.

In regards to reservations, so inadequate were his typical ones whenever Eternity had been near, he could remember several occasions where he had snuck his lady into the darkest corner of the room and had his wicked way with her right there and then, wherever he could get a semblance of privacy. He had been unable to hold back, lacking total control over himself and his desires for the ethereal beauty he had claimed for his own. It had been frighteningly and beautifully extraordinary.

Thinking further, because of this intense passion he had for Eternity, both past and present, he could recall how possessive and jealous he could be whenever another dared to flirt with her, which did happen quite often. After all, the lady had this strange ability to turn all heads toward her, some out of innocent curiosity and others out of pure lust. Elijah remembered one such incident where his lady had to hold him back, had to calm his instinctual rage at the offending gentleman, whom had dared to make a pass at his woman.

Of course he hadn't lost control in the way Niklaus would have, in that loud and obnoxious way of his. No, as always, Elijah's rage had been quiet and deadly calm, which in many cases was far more terrifying.

As he watched Tristan dance with Eternity, whispering to her quietly in such close proximity, he began to feel that possessive, cool rage boil up in him. He hated it, but wasn't in any position to say or do anything. Despite their fiery...encounters as of late, he had no claim to her. Not now. It wasn't like before, where she had belonged to him, where there hadn't been any rifts that kept them apart.

Though his anger and hostility had begun to cool toward the ethereal woman, Elijah was still hesitant in giving in to his softer feelings for her, the ones that were still as prevalent as they had been before, as it turned out. He simply hadn't any proof that Eternity wouldn't act against his family again, if things went sideways, which was likely, given his family's wrap sheet for violence and mayhem.

It was probably best to keep her at a distance, truth be told, he thought with what he claimed was certainty. Then her earlier kiss flashed through his mind and her conversation with Hayley echoed through his ears, and he was left feeling uncertain all over again.

It seemed he couldn't hate her anymore, he concluded, as he watched Eternity part from Tristan and began to walk back to him. He could no longer punish her for the past. It was time to forgive her. But what then, he had to wonder. Could he truly cease to doubt her? Could he trust her? Could he let her go, if not? Could he truly let her walk away after all this family drama was dealt with? To that end, she was here now, but what about after the storm? Would she still be there? Would she want to stay, if he asked her to?

She won't, if you don't make your feelings clear to her, his inner voice reasoned.

Realizing where his mind had lead him to, Elijah snapped out of that dangerous train of thought, just as Eternity came to stand beside him with a scowl upon her childlike face. She reached for his glass of bourbon he had sitting on the bar and downed the entire thing in one go, before slamming it down dramatically.

"I'm going to kill him," she growled quietly.

Elijah couldn't help but grin, "Yes, Tristan has that effect on people. What did the little weasel have to say?"

"He tried to recruit me," she replied with disgust evident upon her features. "More or less, anyway. He said he wanted to call a truce, said the Strix would worship me like the goddess that I am, if I blessed them with my protection. In return, his people would cease their destructive behaviors toward the human populous. He's lying, of course. They'll never stop, but he wanted me to believe that they would, just so he could have a powerful friend in a high place, like his sire." She flashed Elijah a small smirk, before growing disgusted again. "I should tear him apart for ever thinking I could be persuaded to join these vile miscreants. In fact, I just might."

Elijah moved closer to her and bent down so that he could whisper in her ear, "Perhaps having Tristan put out of our collective misery first, wouldn't be such a bad idea. Have you gathered all the useful information you needed from his twisted little mind?"

He heard her breath hitched at how close he was and he detected the little pleasurable shiver that ran through her as he spoke to her, causing him to smirk to himself. She nodded without looking at him, "Aye. I have."

"Good. Now we simply wait for the right moment," he said, after which he pulled away, but not before he noticed her look of slight disappointment.

He chuckled a little, though he tried to contain it.

Perfect, he thought, as he turned his attention back to the crowd. He felt a bit of relief, knowing it wouldn't be long now, before the first of the potential threats would be dealt with. Then it would be onto the next.

**To Be Continued...**


	8. Chapter 8: In the Heated Night

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Elijah or any elements from the Vampire Diaries/the Originals. I do, however, own my OC Eternity and any elements from my up and coming novel. Please review! I'd appreciate it a lot! Thanks and happy reading!

**Warning**: Smutty chapter is smutty! You have been warned!

* * *

Elijah stood on the balcony of the Mikealson compound, inside his old room. He stood there, still dressed in his bloodied tuxedo, with a drink in hand. He reflected on the rest of the evening at the Strix party, as he took in the night air.

It hadn't been long after he and Eternity had decided it was time for Tristan to die that the party grew more interesting. Marcel had joined Elijah and the ethereal woman at the bar and quietly, they had devised a plan to help the younger vampire, so that they could deal with the Strix leader without having to worry about him in the process.

Eternity had cast a spell upon Marcel to make his blood poisonous to other vampires. All he had to do was get Mohinder, the man whom had taken his daylight ring, to bite him and the older, stronger vampire would be defeated.

It was immediately after the spell had been cast that Aya and some of the other Strix members came over to lead Marcel away. Of course, Elijah and Eternity followed them.

That was when things became the most entertaining.

At Tristan's prompting, Marcel had given his answer in regards to whom had taken his ring. From there, the younger vampire took on Mohinder, fighting well, but of course was eventually and inevitably overpowered by his older opponent. That is, until the fool bit him, just as they had hoped he would. Poisoned, the ancient Strix member was no more and Marcel became an official member of their organization.

It was here that Eternity made her move, stepping up to Tristan and then announcing to the crowd that if they valued their lives, they would leave, because she was going to kill their leader. There hadn't been any lead up. She had simply and boldly declared her intentions, citing the fact that she had been after Tristan for years and was finally going to end him for the various wrongdoings of he and his people.

None of the Strix had taken her advice to flee and so, a bloody battle had ensued. Elijah had stepped in to aid her, though he knew she didn't need it. Together, they took on the ancient vampires, fighting in perfect unison, side by side. It had been amazingly beautiful and surreal, just like old times.

When the Strix has realized they would not win, they finally took Eternity's advice and began to flee, Aya included. Tristan had made the attempt too, but was stopped by the immortal queen herself and was subsequently killed in a swift execution by decapitation.

That fiendish usurper, one potential threat to Elijah's family, was no more.

Elijah had to smile in victory at that, glad to have had Eternity by his side to aid him. Though, as always whenever he was experiencing positive feelings toward the ethereal woman, he tried to brush them aside, his decision to forgive her be damned.

Speaking of the immortal queen, she came up beside him, staring out over the Quarter with him. She noticed the drink he carried and without a word, reached over and plucked it from his hand, downing the liquid in one gulp. She handed him back the empty glass, while he gazed at her with subtle amusement.

"What a night," she finally said. "We were quite the team back there and now, one of our enemies is vanquished. Though, the dealings with the Strix isn't over. Aya will no doubt seek retribution for the death of her precious leader. So that will be something you will have to deal with soon enough."

"Yes, but that's just fine, since I planned on taking back the Strix anyway," replied Elijah, her use of the words 'our enemies' not lost on him. "They will seek a new leader and I intend on being that person. Speaking of Strix leaders, tell me, what information do you have in regards to Tristan de Martel and why he was here in New Orleans?"

"He wanted to find a way to break the sire link between the Originals and all other vampires," Eternity told him gravely. "This prophecy nonsense has them desperate to live. Aya will no doubt take up the cause, now that Tristan is gone, and because of that, she will try and take control of the Strix herself."

Elijah sighed, "Then perhaps I shouldn't hesitate in taking back control."

The shimmering beauty tensed and looked away as she quietly asked, "And what would you do with them, once they were under your authority?"

"I would probably use them as my own personal defense for my family and myself against our many enemies," he answered easily. "It would give those whom would dare stand against us, against me, reason to stay away, especially now that we have little Hope to look after."

"And when they are not needed to protect your family? What then?" Eternity looked at him questioningly.

Elijah shrugged, "I will return them to the greatness I had intended long ago. I will instill them into the world, to influence it for the better."

She eyed him suspiciously, "Better for whom, Elijah?"

"For all," he gazed at her intensely, not liking the way she gazed at him as if he had ill intentions, as if he were villainous. "We will have real peace between all the factions of the supernatural community, but more so, between the supernatural and the humans. We will have a coexistence like never before."

She looked away from him again, looking down at the railing, as she told him, "Be careful, my love. The Strix have been a violent, bloodthirsty bunch for a long time. Perhaps too long. They might not be so easily reprogrammed for the more peaceful existence you envision. In fact, they might see you as weak for wanting such peace and rebel, causing a mighty war that will result in more innocent bloodshed instead of less."

"I am not a fool, Eternity," Elijah replied defensively. "I know that it won't be easy, that there will be those whom oppose my efforts, but I know I can fix this. I can make the Strix as they were intended to be, while having an extra defense for my family."

Eternity frowned at him, looking hurt by his words. Though he didn't understand why. He watched as her jaw tightened and she swallowed thickly, before she averted her eyes.

She smiled sadly, "Well, I hope you can change things, I do, but I fear that we will be forced to stand as enemies, should you fail. I will not hesitate to destroy the Strix, should they prove to be unsusceptible to your reprogramming of them - should things not change, including you, if you dare to stand against me...this time."

With that, before he could respond, she turned and walked back inside.

Elijah couldn't believe it. She had issued a threat against him, despite her feelings for him. It reminded him of their past, the very one that only recently had he decided to forgive her for. Yet, here she was willing to do the same as before - to choose her duty over her heart...her duty over him.

He felt his old angry flared to life with her threat against him.

Before she could escape the room, he intercepted Eternity at vampire speed, blocking her exit. He hadn't even registered the sound of breaking glass as he had dropped the empty tumbler on his way to stop her. Elijah stared down at her with blazing fury, stepping toward her with long strides until he was inches from her.

"How dare you! How dare you come into my home and threaten me," He growled quietly. "I have finally begun to think we could move past this opposition, that maybe it is time to forgive you for the wrongs of the past. Yet, you would let history repeat itself. Truly? You would betray me all over again, despite your claims of loving me still? Why Eternity? Why must you always choose your duty over your heart...over me?"

He stopped, realizing with horror what he was saying, what he was confessing to.

"You know you are being hypocritical in your anger toward me for choosing duty over heart," Eternity responded, without answering his demanding question. "Is what I have done not the same thing that you've been doing for a thousand years, Elijah? Choosing your duty to your family over your own heart? You accuse me of this slight against you, but you are no different. You've done it too.

"Your Aya is a perfect example of this, choosing to flee with your family instead of remaining with her and the Strix or one Katerina Petrova, whom you could have had a life with, but chose to abandon her in order follow Niklaus here to New Orleans.

"Perhaps you're still angry at me for what happened, because for once you're on the receiving end of being sacrificed for duty and you don't like how it feels. It makes the betrayals you've inflicted on others real to you. It makes you feel as they felt, all that pain you've caused, and it is that of which you don't want.

"You don't want to know their pain, so you've turned this aversion unto me, because I am the only one who did to you, what you did to them, and it is that of which you hate me for. It is not what I did, but how I made you feel that make you loathe me."

Elijah didn't want to listen to her, despite the fact that he knew what she said was true. Yet, he stubbornly did not want to admit it. He didn't want to admit that she was right. Pride was a hell of a thing, especially when faced with a hard reality that one did not want to face. Instead, he reacted with hostility, to distract himself from the truth she spoke to him.

With lightning reflexes, he fisted the hair at the back of Eternity's head and yanked her head back to stare threateningly down at her. "You will be quiet," he hissed at her.

"As to your question," she went on anyway, "I never wanted to choose my duty over my heart. I was driving to it, because of you and your unyielding loyalty to your siblings, no matter how wicked they might be. I gave you, all of you, time and patience, understanding and love, but I knew if I did not act, the innocent would continue to fall victim to Nik and Kol's thirst for blood. Sometimes we have to choose the greater good over our hearts, our feelings."

Elijah's hold on her slackened momentarily as he considered her.

"I still do not want to make that most difficult choice, not against you, not ever again," she murmured, "I found hope in our reunion, hope that I could have both my duty and my heart. Niklaus has changed, because of his daughter. He is still fierce and violent, but also softer, not as angry or impulsive, thanks to the wife and child he has to care for. Kol is dead, for now, but I suspect his love for one Davina Claire would keep his wildness in check, should he resurrect. Love has that power, in whatever form it might come in. It can tame any wild beast."

"What are you saying?" He asked with narrowed eyes.

"You can trust me," Eternity said, hopefully. "Your siblings are not as they once were. They have grown and changed. We don't have to worry about being pitted against each other somewhere down the road. This is a new age, one that can allow us to love, to stand united...as one."

Elijah stared at her in uncertainty for a brief moment. His heart nearly burst with the emotions he had tried to keep at bay this whole time, but his mind remained unconvinced that their love could be anything more than apocalyptic, doomed to fail.

She was of the light, of the greater good, while he was of the dark, of selfish familial pursuits. Were they simply too different to work? Wouldn't they always be pitted against each other eventually? Wouldn't they always be forced on opposite sides, no matter what? Why would this time be any different than the last for them? Could they truly be together?

Elijah found he couldn't bring himself to answer her as a result of his many unanswerable questions, afraid to find out that they wouldn't be able to work, if he opened that dialogue with her.

Instead, he chose to distract both of them by tangling his hands in Eternity's soft white locks and kissing her breathlessly. He shouldn't have done so, as it made it look as though he was agreeing with her, as if he was seeking to restore their relationship.

Not that he didn't want to. He did, he realized, but he was still so uncertain - afraid.

Yet, it was too late to back out, at the moment. He was caught up in the moment, a moment that grew heated very quickly. Elijah swept Eternity up into his arms as he plundered her mouth with his tongue, tasting her sweetness greedily. He carried her over to the bed and fell upon it with her.

His hands moved over her body and up into her soft hair. She clung to him, cupping the back of his head with one hand while the other reached to loosen his tie. Once undone, she removed the silk cloth from around his neck and tossed it away. She pushed his suit jacket off and he helped in tugging it off his person, detaching from her mouth only long enough to do so, before reattaching. Then her other hand joined in and both sets of fingers began to unbutton his dress shirt quickly. Elijah helped her rid him of that too, much in the same fashion as his jacket, leaving him to once again part from her swollen lips.

Eternity's hands ran over his bare chest, slowly, sensually. Her nails lightly scraped down his abdomen until she reached his pants. Her touch sent pleasurable shivers down his spine and a moan to escape his lips.

Wanting to touch her soft flesh, Elijah quickly reached with both hands and tore the fabric of her slightly bloodied dress from her body, revealing her naked body beneath. He leaned over the ethereal woman that glowed in the night and kissed her lips tenderly, before moving his mouth along her jaw and then her neck, while his hands ran over the curves of her form. His lips soon began a trail downward, laying kisses over her chest, her ribs, then her stomach, her hip, and the inner part of one thigh, close to her slick center.

The lady moaned lightly and arched into him as he kissed and nipped her inner thigh.

With a slight grin, he moved to taste her, the scent of her arousal was intoxicating and therefore, irresistible. He licked and nipped and sucked on her clit, while occasionally dipping his tongue into her entrance to collect her wonderful flavor onto it. Elijah worked her into a frenzy, enjoying the way Eternity bucked and writhed, clutching his head in her hand and chanting his name over and over again.

Then just as her walls were beginning to flutter in signal of her approaching climax, the Original pulled away, leaving the immortal queen to groan in disappointment and glare at him. He only chuckled as he rose from the bed long enough to shed the rest of his clothes and then rejoin her. He came to lay beside her, smiling softly at her, running his fingers through her hair, and then pulling her to him.

Elijah kissed her passionately, as he ran his hand down her side until he reached her thigh, of which he lifted her leg over his hip. He pressed her closer to him and then reached between them to line himself up with her entrance, pushing into her slowly.

Once he was fully seated inside her, he closed his eyes and sighed contently, loving the way she's felt wrapped around him. Then, opening his eyes again, he gazed into hers, while beginning to move within her. She gazed right back, moving with him in perfect harmony until they were moving steadily, but unhurriedly.

Unlike the times before since Eternity's return to his life, when he had been rough and unforgiving in his passion, this moment between them was rather romantic, gentle and loving. Elijah felt peaceful, calm, and for once, there wasn't any resistance to her or his feelings for her, despite his fears for picking up where they had left off so long ago.

Focused upon the here and now, he let the pleasure of her body banish his thoughts, giving into the lust and need for her. The climb to completion was slow going, but eventually he began to move more rapidly, feeling the nearness of his end.

He shifted their positions, rolling over so that she was beneath him with her legs wrapped around his waist. He buried his face in her neck as he pumped into her faster, harder than before, until he felt her walls clamping down on him and a soft cry release from her lips. Her climax triggered his own and he came with a loud groan, emptying into her.

In the aftermath, he pulled out of her, shifting lower so that he could rest his head on her chest as he rested. Elijah felt her hand automatically reach up to comb through he slightly damp hair tenderly, with her other hand resting upon his bicep, as his arms had caged her in. He closed his eyes and enjoyed her attentions, despite himself. He took advantage of the contentedness he felt at the moment, letting it wash over him.

"I love you, Elijah," sighed Eternity above him, the same contentedness in her sweet voice.

Her words tugged at his heart, his breath hitched in his throat. He wanted to say them back, but the doubts and fears that still plagued him kept him from repeating them to her. It was not yet time for him to give in, not until he could confirm that his fears and doubts were unfounded.

Still, Elijah could not resist reaching up and laying an affection kiss to her throat in response. He didn't look at her, but knew that she was smiling, despite his refusal to repeat her words back to her. Instead, he returned to his resting place, listening to her heartbeat in the peace and quiet of the night.

In the fevered night, no fears or doubts or anger plagued him for the rest of it. He only knew peace, harmony - and pleasure.

**To Be Continued...**


	9. Chapter 9: The Thanksgiving Massacre

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Elijah or any elements from the Vampire Diaries/the Originals. I do, however, own my OC Eternity and any elements from my up and coming novel. Please review! I'd appreciate it a lot! Thanks and happy reading!

**Author's Note**: This chapter is an AU of TO Season 3, Episode 7

* * *

Elijah had made love to Eternity for the rest of the night, over and over again, until exhaustion forced them to sleep. She had repeated those three little words of love to him many times, to only be met with his silence. Sure, he showed his affection for her in other ways, in the form of romantic kisses and gentle touches, but never verbally. He simply wasn't ready. As a result of her frequent attempts to engage him, he barely looked at her near the end of their passionate night. Like a coward, he didn't want to see the disappointment in those sapphire depths, he was certain was there.

The following day, upon waking, Elijah slipped out from his lover's embrace and quickly vacated the premises, returning to his loft in Algiers. He didn't want to face her, after he had acted so tenderly toward her as she had to him. It had been a long reminder of their wondrous past and he had almost caved to the feelings he still retained from that time - his love for Eternity.

He didn't want to be so weak as to give in on a whim, no matter how strong the urge to do so was.

For days after, Elijah did not see or hear from the ethereal beauty. A disappointment, he found. He had thought she'd come to him, asking him why he had snuck away. However, she never did. Instead, she stayed away for whatever reasons. He would have assumed she had been upset with him for leaving in the morning and for his cowardly lack of response to her words of affection, but he knew that Eternity wouldn't be angry, as she was wise and knew why he had run without needing to confront him about it.

In those days of the immortal beauty's absence, a new player came strolling into the French Quarter in the form of a she-devil: Tristan's little sister, Aurora de Martel. She had come looking for her brother's murder, having heard from the Strix about the massacre at the gala he had held. Apparently, the group hadn't divulged exactly whom had done, perhaps in an attempt to protect her from the 'White Goddess'.

To try and get answers, Aurora had reunited with Niklaus; though not before stealing Rebekah's daggared body as an act of leverage, incase it had been the hybrid or Elijah that had killed her brother. Meanwhile, his brother waited to see just how to proceed in ridding them of both Lucien and Tristan's mad sister. In that process, they had begun sleeping together, a nauseating reunion indeed, as Elijah's brother bided his time. Upon discovering this, the older Original confronted his little brother one night after finding the two of them together.

Once the little devil was gone, Niklaus and he retired into the hybrid's study in order to discuss this seeming infatuation between Aurora and his brother.

"Am I to assume that you've gone _completely_ mad?" Elijah asked his little brother.

Niklaus came over with two drink in his hands, handing one over, as he replied, "You see madness, I see method."

"And that method would be _what_, Niklaus? To fornicate with the she-devil who took our sister?" He responded with a roll of his eyes.

"To be clear, _The Strix_ took our sister," answered his brother. "Aurora simply hijacked her. I _will_ get Rebekah back. Trust me. Keeping Aurora close garners the goodwill we need."

While Niklaus sipped on his drink, Elijah considered this plan of his. "Well, it is a bold - if lecherous - plan," he commented. "Will you employ the same tactic when it comes time to retrieve the medallion from Lucien and Tristan?

"They're not really my type," his brother quipped in return, smirking slyly. "By the way, it seems I'm not the only one enjoying the pleasures of lechery, Brother. I heard the cries of passion the other night, after the Strix party, coming from your old room. Eternity is quite the screamer, by the way. Therefore, I do not think you should be judging me on sleeping with my ex, when you are so clearly doing the same."

With a heavy sigh, the older Original rolled his eyes and downed half his drink, before replying, "At least, Eternity isn't working against us, in some devious plot of revenge. _She_ has actually been helping us, while protecting Hope from certain doom. I do not see Aurora doing that."

"So, you _are_ back together, after all this time."

"I wouldn't say that, but even if we were, it is none of your business, Niklaus," shrugged Elijah, while smiling tightly at him. "Can we please return to the conversation at hand now?"

With one last smirk, Niklaus turned serious, "Certainly. There must be another way to dealing with Lucien and Aurora."

"There is," called Eternity from the doorway suddenly, causing both men to turn toward her in surprise.

She looked stunning as always, dressed in a simple white sundress, though she did seem a bit tired. Her shining grace wasn't as profound as it normally was. It was as if she had been overexerting herself lately, leaving Elijah to wonder just what she had been up to in the days since last he saw her.

"If you wish this madness to end before chaos and terror can descend upon you all, then you need me to dispose of the two remaining threats," the immortal woman said to them as she swept into the room. "Get them gathered in one place and let me deal with them as I did Tristan - a swift and unsuspecting execution. Then this prophecy will be null and void. Peace shall be restored to the Mikealson household."

Niklaus grinned at her, "Well, hello to you too, love. It's about time you showed back up and here I thought my big brother might have run you off for good."

Elijah remained silent, unsure of what to say. Though, he was concerned about her slightly worn appearance. Just where had she been? What had she been doing?

"Not at all, Niklaus, old friend," replied the ethereal woman. "I simply had other business to attend to, as Mikealson drama is not the only thing I must contend with, but I'm here now. So, let us put a plan into motion, one that will obliterate this ridiculous prophecy once and for all."

It was then that an idea stuck the older Original. "It's Thanksgiving," he said to his brother. "Let's invite Aurora and Lucien for a friendly meal, systematically turn them against one another, therefore distracting them, and then _devastate_ their pitiful existences by unleashing our greatest weapon - the lovely Eternity." He turned to smile at the goddess.

"What of this weapon that can harm us?" Niklaus asked.

"I can probe their minds, to find it and whatever plan that is truly in motion here," answered Eternity. "Before I kill them both, of course. Simply leave it to me. This madness you lot have found yourselves in will end this day."

The hybrid grinned from ear to ear, "Wonderful, love. I do enjoy one of your...powerful performances, particularly when they are not aimed at me. This shall be riveting!"

Elijah himself smiled as well, "Yes, I can feel the holiday spirit already!"

The ethereal beauty gave a small, formal smile that didn't reach her eyes and a curt nod to both men, before she turned on her heel and quickly vacated the room.

Niklaus gave him a certain look, just as the older Original gave chase, catching up to Eternity down the hall. He grabbed hold of her arm to stop her, as she didn't seem as if she was going to, despite sensing his approach. She turned sharply, her sapphire eyes alit with not fury, but a deep hurting mixed with determination.

"What is it?" He asked in a murmur, as he reached to cup the side of her neck in comfort. Not that he couldn't guess as to what troubled her. He knew it was him that was causing her pain and he felt his heart twist painfully in his chest with that knowledge. "What's wrong?"

"I think you know," she responded coolly.

"Eternity, I-."

"Don't," She sighed gently, pulling away from his touch. " I understand your reservations, but I cannot wait here forever for you to decide if you are going to let go of the past. Therefore, you have until the Hollow's defeat to make up your mind as to what you truly want, to decide if you are going to let your doubts and fears rule you or if you are going to give us another chance. After that demon is defeated, once my promise to keep Hope safe has been fulfilled, I shall take leave of you and the Mikaelsons, for good - if you do not give me a reason to stay, that is. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a dinner to prepare for."

With that, Eternity turned and walked away, leaving Elijah with her ultimatum.

The Original sighed heavily, watching her walk away from him. He dropped his gaze and rubbed his temples with his forefinger and thumb, while his other hand rested on his hip. When he looked back up, the ethereal beauty had completely vanished from sight.

He didn't like it when others issued ultimatums, but he especially loathed it when it was Eternity giving them. That was because it hurt, whenever she did. Her ultimatums were always a painful experience. He found in that moment that he didn't want to lose her. The idea of not seeing her sweet face, hearing her melodious voice, made his insides twist painfully. Yet, he held himself together. There were more pressing matters to attend to, for the time being.

Knowing there was nothing more to be done at the moment, Elijah turned and went to prepare for the interesting theatrics to come.

Before long everything was in place. A formal dinner table had been set up in the courtyard, and the courtyard bar had been filled with fancy decanters full of various forms of alcohol, along with plates of grapes, cheese, and bread. It had been a rather lovely set up, especially for Thanksgiving.

Lucien and Aurora had arrived with the former already taking advantage of the alcohol provided.

Elijah could hear the clinking of glasses and the pair talking from his bedroom, as he readied to face them. Niklaus's voice soon joined in, which was the signal for proceedings to begin. He hadn't seen any sign of Eternity since their earlier conversation and he feared that maybe he finally did run her off, that perhaps she was betraying them yet again to spite him for his lack of verbal response to her love for him. Of course, he knew that the ethereal woman wasn't so petty, but the thought did cross his mind all the same.

"Well, well. If it isn't my old friend Lucien," the Original heard Aurora say as he exited his bedroom.

Lucien responded, "Hello, Aurora. It's been ages. You look..."

"You look _ravishing_," Niklaus interjected, the sound of lips against skin could be heard, meaning he had kissed the back of the she-devil's hand.

Just then, Elijah made his entrance, descending the stairs into the courtyard gracefully. "Welcome to our home," he greeted their guests. "I do wish it was under better circumstances. We all face a common threat- a prophecy warning that my siblings and I would all fall within a year...I fear my sister already has."

"Well, someone has killed my brother," Aurora spoke up. "I took Rebekah as a means of leverage to hopefully find out just whom murdered him. I figured it was one of you two. Sorry, Nik. I want to know who my brother's murder is and then maybe I'll consider giving your sister back to you."

"Well, love, while I am hurt that you would accuse me of killing Tristan, I'm afraid, it was not I nor Elijah, who did the deed," Niklaus told her with a deep frown.

Aurora gazed at the hybrid curiously, "But you do know who did."

He opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it. Instead, grinning that sly, knowing grin of his that meant that he _did_ know something.

"It seems we are off to a wonderful start, lots to discuss," Elijah spoke politely with a small smile, as he gestured to the table, "Shall we?"

The four of them moved to the dinning table, each taking a seat. Lucien and Aurora sat across from each other on either side of the table, while Elijah and Niklaus took seats at either end. The table had been filled with all manner of Thanksgiving foods, including a whole turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, amongst other things. It was quite the spread. It was a shame that the meal might prove to be wasted under the circumstances of it.

"It's a bit odd, isn't it?" Lucien observed offhandedly. "Celebrating an American holiday?"

"Well, you know, Lucien, I rather enjoy Thanksgiving," replied Elijah. "The turkey, the cranberry sauce...the lies, the deceit, the betrayal. Do help yourselves." He gestured to the food.

"I think that Thanksgiving sounds lovely," called Eternity from the top of the stairs, drawing all eyes to her.

Everyone was in awe at the sight of her, but none more so than Elijah. She was dressed in a white, mermaid gown with diamonds studded chains for sleeves that hung from her upper arms. There was a white gold tiara with three starburst shaped amethyst encrusted into it, as well as a white starburst birthmark upon the center of her forehead. She had an even more profoundly ethereal glow about her, her shining grace was more intense, and she floated down the stairs with flawless precision. This was the rarely seen Universal Queen and it was an incredible sight to behold.

Lucien and Aurora both had a mix of wonder and fear spread across their faces at the sight of Eternity, while Niklaus looked amused and Elijah found himself breathless.

"It cannot be!" Lucien gasped in disbelief. "The infamous White Goddess! Bloody hell! What? How?"

"Forgive my lateness," Queen Eternity smiled politely, her hands clasped in front of her regally with her head held high in regality. "I did hope to make a grand entrance."

"Who the bloody hell are you?" Aurora demanded, rather rudely. Her discomfort evident by the way she shifted nervously in her chair.

The immortal queen looked at her with a soft smile, "It does not matter who I am, my dear, as your time is...done. However, before I dispatch you both, I will tell you this: it was I that killed Tristan de Martel, along with a small group of Strix members."

The looks of terror on both Lucien's and Aurora's faces were priceless. The stench of their fear was palpable. They each looked ready to fly, to escape the very real threat against them. Death had come to call in the form of the ethereal beauty before them and they all knew it.

"But only I know the location of Rebekah's body," Aurora spoke quickly, rising from her seat. "You can not kill me, if you wish to see her again!"

"Yes, and I have the medallion," Lucien chimed in quickly, also getting up from the table. "Let me live and I'll give it to you."

Eternity only smiled at them both, while Elijah and Niklaus watched on from their front row seats. "You, Mr. Castle, are a coward," she said to Lucien. "You gave up that information so easily, completely unaware that I already knew what you do. You see, I have a lot of various talents, including the reading of minds. I already probed yours, sir, for that trinket...and more."

The vampire swallowed thickly in a terrified sweat.

"Oh yes. I know of your true intentions," Eternity told him, darkly. "You are to be the prophesied 'Beast', having made a deal with the ancestors of New Orleans witches to become this fabled creature and slay Niklaus, once the Strix witches have unlocked the key to undoing the sirelines, freeing all vampires from the Originals, whom created them."

Elijah and Niklaus both exchanged alarmed looks at this revelation, while Lucien began to back away, having been caught.

"As for the location of Rebekah's body," the ethereal woman turned back to Aurora, "I already have that information too. Therefore, you both have nothing left to offer, but...to die."

The pair's deaths were immediate, as they were gruesome. Eternity unleashed her mighty power upon them both without so much as raising a hand, basically unraveling both Lucien and Aurora simultaneously. They screamed and writhed in horrific pain as the power of the queen turned them inside out and then turned them to dust that floated away on the wind.

"Well that was a bloody spectacle," Niklaus commented with an amused grin. "Who knew that the little stable boy was to be our undoing! The ancestors were foolish to recruit such an unworthy adversary as Lucien Castle."

"Lucien was only the beginning, I'm afraid," chimed in Eternity, who shifted out of queen form and into her civilian one. "It seems that the true 'Beast' was to be Marcel Gerard, after the two of you betrayed him in a rather silly error of calculation. Mr. Castle has been formulating the serum to turn him into this prophesied creature through his front of business operation. Lucien would have taken it and would have eventually died by the hands of the Originals. Then the serum would have been passed on to Marcel, resulting in a struggle like none you've faced so far."

Elijah and Niklaus both looked disturbed by her words of what would have come to pass, if she had not intervened.

"Lucien and his quest to be your betters would have simply been the precursor to the prophecy's fulfillment," the ethereal woman told them. "You lot are fortunate for my intervention, as none of it matters now. All you have to do from here is dismantle Lucien's operation, make sure all serum exterminations have been destroyed, and retrieve Rebekah."

A piece of folded paper appeared between her two fingers as she held it up for one of the Original brothers to take. Elijah was the one who went to her, taking the paper from her to find that it was the coordinations to Rebekah's location. Niklaus soon followed, coming to stand on the other side of Eternity.

"I would suggest you do not waste time in getting your sister, as Aurora had stashed her at the bottom of the ocean," Eternity told them gravely. "I also wouldn't dawdle in destroying Lucien's operation, if you do not want someone else taking up his cause. I have done what I can to change your fates. The rest is up to you."

Then the immortal woman moved away, heading toward the exit, with both brothers watching her go with curiosity etched upon their faces.

"Where are you going?" Niklaus called to her.

"My task is done for the time being," she called back to him, not turning around or pausing in her step. "I have other duties that need tending. I shall return when it comes time to destroy the Hollow as initially promised."

With that, Eternity was gone, leaving Elijah and Niklaus to tend to the tasks she had given them.

**To Be Continued...**


	10. Chapter 10: A New Era

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Elijah or any elements from the Vampire Diaries/the Originals. I do, however, own my OC Eternity and any elements from my up and coming novel. Please review! I'd appreciate it a lot! Thanks and happy reading!

**Author's Note**: This chapter is an AU of TO Season 4, Episode 13. It is also the last chapter! Thank you to everyone who has been reading! Don't forget to check out my other Elijah x Eternity fics, if you haven't already. There's Elijah's Eternity, it's completed sequel Elijah's Eternity: New Orleans, as well as the ongoing sequel Elijah's Eternity: Cosmic Reset. Then there's the shorter stories: The Doppelgänger, The Exhibition, Wicked Game, and Elijah's Eternity: Smutty Oneshots. I hope you enjoy this final part of Love Me Apocalyptic!

**Warning**: Smutty chapter is smutty! You have been warned!

* * *

Five years had passed by since Eternity helped defeat the prophecy against the Mikaelson family. Every day of her absence was agony for Elijah. It reminded him so much of when they had parted ways that century and half ago. It had gutted him then, making him feel as if half of him had been torn from him, as if the ethereal woman he had loved so completely had taken part of his heart with her. His feelings were the same now.

At first, he had been able to distract himself with recovering Rebekah's body and helping Niklaus dismantle Lucien's rather clever operation. They made sure that every trace of that lunatic's experiments and discoveries had been destroyed.

For good measure, Elijah went after the Strix, particularly Aya, of whom had carried on trying to break the sire bonds to no success. He killed her and the witch coven that had been behind the attempt, save for Davina Claire, whom had only wanted to resurrect his little brother Kol, an endeavor of which she eventually succeeded in.

As for the Strix themselves, Elijah took command of them for a while, but eventually had made the decision to disband the group instead. The rotten poison that had been Tristan de Martel had infected the group too deeply to reeducate them into following a different direction. Therefore, the Original used his pull as their sire to scatter them to the winds, releasing them from their loyalty to the Strix and to him, with the threat that if they carried on violent ways of the Strix operation, he'd find them and kill every single on

Soon, peace had fallen upon the Mikealson family and the pain of loss Elijah felt could not be ignored. Eternity's ghost haunted him everywhere he turned. He attempted to distract himself by devoting a lot of time to teaching his young niece Hope the piano and the works of Shakespeare, but even that wasn't enough to keep him completely sane.

Speaking of his niece, Hope Mikaelson had grown into a beautiful little girl. She learned something from everyone. She learned magic with Freya and Kol, painting from Niklaus, and dancing and fencing from Rebekah. They all taught her how to play, taking time to play games with the young girl that she would normally participate in with friends her own age. Elijah's brother refused to let the child out of his sight, as the threat of the Hollow was very real and Eternity had yet to return to them. Therefore, the Mikaelson family took up the slack, trying to provide the child with as much childhood fun as possible to fill the void.

_Eternity_...

As the years passed, Elijah waited for the ethereal beauty to return, with the promise to confess his love for Eternity as well as apologize for his behavior, the moment she came back, before he lost her forever. He couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't do everything in his power to keep her with him. He knew now that the past didn't matter and he wouldn't let it rule him any longer.

Then one day, the Hollow appeared.

The vengeful spirit came after Hope, infiltrating her little body and taking over. Eternity remained a no show and that lead the Mikaelsons to desperation. Vincent Griffin, one of the more powerful witches of New Orleans, had answer for them: he could divide the evil Hollow into four of the Originals, sending them away to different corners of the globe for the rest of their immortalities. It wasn't a perfect plan, as the Mikaelsons had strong bonds that always forced them back together eventually, but it would save Hope. Therefore, Elijah, Niklaus, Kol, and Rebekah had all agreed to it.

The four Originals stood together, standing on four sides of an unconscious Hope, whom was had chains upon her wrists to suppress the Hollow and was being held by Hayley. They were ready to preform this ritual of Vincent's, prepared to be separated forever.

"Hayley, when I tell you to, I want you to take the manacles off," Vincent instructed. "Hold onto Hope. Do not let her go. Everybody else, when this spell is over, you got to get away from each other, and you have to stay away from Hope."

"Just what is going on here?" Called Eternity suddenly.

All eyes turned to where she stood in the distance behind Elijah. All the Mikaelsons were relieved to see her, standing there like the saving grace they had been hoping for.

"So, the time has come at last," The ethereal beauty said. "It seems I arrived right on time, before you lot did something incredibly stupid."

Elijah was overjoyed to see her. He couldn't believe his eyes, at first, though, none of them could. She hadn't forsaken them, after all. She had come to fulfill her promise just in the nick of time.

"It's about bloody time," Niklaus chastised her. "You have a nasty habit of waiting until the last second to show up. We were about to split up the family, thinking that you had abandoned us and that we had no choice."

"Well, I am here now," replied Eternity. "Therefore, there is no longer a need for you to scatter."

"Just who the hell is this?" Vincent asked, having yet to meet Eternity.

The immortal queen turned to him and smiled politely, "I am the one who is to destroy the Hollow. My name is Eternity. Now...show me your enemy."

The witch stepped away with his hands up in surrender, while Elijah moved aside to reveal Hayley holding the sleeping Hope.

Eternity saw the little girl being held by her worried mother and approached swiftly, coming to kneel beside the female hybrid. "Do not worry anymore, Hayley," she spoke softly to her. "I am here to save your daughter and rid this world of the Hollow, once and for all."

"How?" Hayley asked in a small, shaky voice.

"I will extract the Hollow from Hope and then I will simply erase it from existence," she answered as if removing something as powerful as the Hollow from existence was an easy task, when it sounded extremely difficult. "It will be over quickly and I swear no harm will come to your daughter in the process. She will be alright. I promise."

"That easy, huh?" The worried mother tried to smile.

Eternity reached over and put a comforting hand upon Hayley's shoulder, "It is that easy. Please, place the child on the ground and we shall begin."

Hayley did as she requested and gently laid her daughter on the ground. Then she stepped back to stand by Niklaus, whom put a comforting arm around her.

The procedure was quick. The ethereal woman put her fore and middle fingers together on Hope's forehead, then closed her eyes in concentration. Almost immediately did the bright blue orb of the Hollow's spirt rise out of the little girl's body. With her other hand, Eternity reached for the orb, wrapping her hand around it and then squeezing it tightly in her fist.

"Be gone," she growled and in an instance, the vengeful spirit vanished.

Everyone looked around them to see if the Hollow was truly gone, especially with how it seemed too easy for the immortal queen to snuff it out of existence so anticlimactically. When it was obvious that the creature was gone for good, they all let out sighs of relief.

Then Hope woke and smiled at her family, bringing joy to everyone around her.

Elijah was greatly relieved to see his niece healed, but none were not quite as much as the little girl's parents, whom fell to their knees beside their child and embraced her tightly. The crisis was over and his family would remain in tact. It was all thanks to Eternity.

Speaking of which, the older Original looked down to smile at the immortal queen, but found that she was no longer among them. It seemed as though she had vanished, just as the Hollow had in her hand. He looked around, but didn't find a trace of her. Immediately, the feeling of devastating heartbreak welled up in him and he suddenly found it impossible to breathe.

Had she truly gone? Out of his life just like that?

It would seem so.

Elijah tried to focus on the happy moment of victory, but found it had turned sour for him. Of course, he was so very glad that his niece was alive and well, no longer plagued by the evil of the Hollow, but it was still tainted with his bitter heartbreak.

He soon retired to his study, needing a drink...or ten. He was certain he was going to become the first vampire alcoholic in history, because he was going to need a lot of it to quell the emptiness he felt. He poured himself a bourbon quickly and sipped at it, finding it hard to swallow through the lump that formed in his throat.

Then as he stood before the fireplace, watching the flames as his mind reeled, Elijah heard her voice say, "Ah, there you are."

His head turned sharply in disbelief to see Eternity standing in the doorway. He gazed at her, finding his words dying on his lips before he could speak them. He felt relief and anger and such incredible joy seeing that she hadn't left after all well up inside him, until he felt as if he might burst with the mixture of emotions.

"I was only stopping by to tell you that I'm leaving...for good," she told him, as she leaned against the door jamb. "My promise is fulfilled. The Hollow is defeated and your niece is safe once more. It is time I move on - it is time for us to move on. I will love again one day, as I know you will. I wish you nothing but happiness, Mr. Mikealson."

Elijah shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes.

No, she couldn't leave! He wouldn't let her!

In that spilt second of hearing her parting words, he dropped the glass in his hand upon the two hundred year old carpet, effectively staining it with bourbon, and was across the room in a few short strides. He reached for her and kissed her soundly, clutching the back of her head as he did so.

"You're not going anywhere, Sweetheart," he murmured to her with his forehead pressed against hers firmly. "You are going to stay right here with me, because I refuse to go another day without you by my side. These past years with your absence have only cemented just how much I need you - just how much I love you."

As they pulled apart, Eternity's eyes sparked with joy and her lips spread into a wide, loving smile.

"The past doesn't matter anymore. Just stay with me," Elijah practically pleaded with her. "Stay with me...always and forever."

"I was hoping you were going to say that," she grinned, just as she leapt into his arms with her legs wrapped securely around his waist and kissed him breathlessly. "I love you, Elijah Mikaelson."

"I love you, Sweetheart," he responded, before the moment took him and he sped away to his bedroom, shutting them up inside.

He turned and pressed her against the door, kissing her fervently. He was feeling frenzied in his happiness. Therefore, he didn't waste any time in disrobing her. As he had in the past, he used his vampire strength and tore the flimsy white dress from her body, tossing the pieces aside. Then he pulled Eternity from the door and carried her over to the large bed, dropping her down upon the soft surface gracefully.

Elijah took a moment to admire her naked form, finding only perfection in it. In an instant he was hovering over her with his mouth immediately attached itself to her neck, nipping and suckling at the skin there.

Soon, his lips began a journey downward. One at a time, he suckled at her breasts, taking a peak into his mouth while kneading the other in his palm. Then moving along, he trailed his mouth over her ribs and her stomach, her hips and finally the mound between her parted thighs.

Eternity sighed when she felt his mouth there and her back arched slightly in anticipation.

He took a moment to grin devilishly up at her, before he pressed his tongue against her clit, lapping and suckling at it until the ethereal beauty was nearly bent in two and gasping his name on repeat. Her hand reached down to threat through his hair and pressing him closer to her still.

With a cruel chuckle, Elijah pulled away completely, rising to stand by the bed above her. He licked his lips, tasting her delicious flavor, just as he growled playfully, "I'm going to enjoy making you scream for me, Sweetheart."

In an unexpected move, he suddenly found himself pinned to the bed by Eternity with her straddling his hips and her hands holding his to the mattress in a firm, unbreakable hold. It was her turn to grin devilishly at him and to growl playfully.

"Oh, my love, it is long over due for you to be the one made to scream," she murmured, as she kissed his lips hotly, her tongue darting inside his mouth to taste the mix of him and her.

Abruptly, the Original found his clothes vanished from his body, feeling the soft fabric of the bedspread against his skin instead of that of his suit. He pulled his mouth away from hers to stare at her in surprise, to which she responded only with a coy smile. Then he was attacked with her mouth latched onto his throat, biting and suckling at the skin, before moving on down his broad chest, his ribs, and stomach, just as he had done to her.

Elijah groaned in anticipation as Eternity moved closer to his hardened length, waiting and wanting to feel her wonderful mouth around him. However, the sensation never came. He was being denied.

"I'll enjoy your cock in my mouth another time, I think," the little minx told him as she smiled evilly and moved back up his body until her center was positioned over his hardness.

He could do nothing, as he was held down by her powerful psychic binds. He was completely at her mercy. Yet, he couldn't say he minded. At least, not much, aside from his slight irritation over her denying him the pleasure of her mouth.

Elijah's annoyance evaporated quickly as he felt her take him into her body, sinking down on him until he was buried to the hilt. He groaned at the sensation of her warm wetness encasing him. His eyes closed as she began to move over him, moving at a rapid pace right away.

He ached to touch her, to reach for her, to caress her skin as she moved. He also felt the urge to take control away from her, to grab her hips and control her movements.

Yet, the Original was powerless. He could only watch Eternity desperate and feel whatever she was willing to allow him to feel. Even so, in his growing madness, he growled at her and fought uselessly against the invisible restraints she had placed upon him.

The ethereal beauty was a cruel lover indeed. She bounced up and down, taking him higher and higher in pleasure, until he was just about to fall over the edge. Then she stopped, smirked wickedly down at him as he groaned in agonizing disappointment, only to begin again. She did this over and over again, riding him hard and fast until he neared completion and at that moment, abruptly stop.

It was long before Elijah was truly desperate, mad with his need to come. "Please...please," he begged her, not caring how undignified it was. "I'm so close, Sweetheart. I need - I need..."

Eternity grinned at the way he trailed off and finally took pity on him. She let go of her cruel teasing and rode him, as hard and fast as she could muster, until they fell over the edge together.

The Original's climax was powerful. He arched and screamed in abandon as he spilled into her. The pleasure that washed over him was intense. It was incredible and it left him feeling weak beneath his lady - and she was his.

At last, the sated ethereal beauty let him go and he was free to move.

Immediately, Elijah grabbed her hips and rolled her beneath him, while his still hard cock remained inside her. He grinned wickedly at her, while she giggled playfully. He pinned her hands on either side of her head by lacing their fingers together, as he hovered over her. As he stared down at her sweet face, he knew that he never wanted to be parted from her again. He no longer cared about the past nor was he worried that she might once more betray him. She had already proven that she wouldn't by saving his family on more than one occasion.

As he began to move inside her slowly, he kissed her lips tenderly and murmured, "Marry me, Eternity."

She blinked at him rapidly in surprise, before she broke out in a wide, tender grin, "Yes, of course!"

Elijah smiled at her answer and kissed her more passionately. All the while, he carried on taking her slowly, unhurriedly. He showed her his love now without holding back, without being afraid. Nothing made him happier in that moment. Everything was perfect.

Soon, it would be more so as he would eventually be calling Eternity his wife. Then they would have all of their immortalities to spend together - in a love that was anything, but apocalyptic.

**The End**


End file.
